Before I get to week 2 on this months challenge I feel the need to update where I am so far on the first week. Organizing Mail and Bills was the 1st challenge, and while I didn't feel like this was an area I struggle with, as my current system of handling mail as little as possible, and my bill paying set up work for me, I did decide that it was time to purge the file cabinets. I am now using a Three Tiered System with my files. Those I need immediate access to are at my desk, reorganized with any personal information I no longer need in a laundry basket that is currently overflowing with papers to shred, that is the first tier. The second tier is papers that I may need to access that are located in a separate filing area. Again, they have been purged as well. It is amazing how much paper I have kept that I don't need any more. Receipts for restaurants, and items purchased dating all the way back to 13 years ago. The good news is the filing cabinets are cleaned out, labeled for easy access and papers not needed are being shredded before being added to the containers at my daughter's school where they earn money for the weight in recycled papers. Win-win, if you ask me. The third tier is papers that we want to keep long term but do not need to access. These types of papers, mainly school paper and kids art work is already stored away in their closets and the attic.
Week 2's challenge: Manuals and Warranties
This is an area that I've been wanting to tackle for a long time, but honestly since I keep a binder of warranties in a closet, and the manuals in drawers I haven't thought about it much. After reading the tips this week on Delightful Order
http://delightfulorder.blogspot.com/2013/01/january-challenge-organizing-papers_7.html?spref=tw
I feel a new resolve to get this area organized. The first step of course is weeding through those items that we no longer even own. From there I plan on using the different areas she suggested: Home Manuals, Misc Manuals, and Electronics Manuals, Computers, Printers, and Scanners, but I am intending to use these sections in the top of my now almost empty filing cabinet. I feel this will be a cheaper solution, as I have lots of file folders that are not being used, and they will still be organized, out of the way, but easy to access should we need them.
I'm hoping to have this job done by the weekend!
After writing this I finished organizing the manuals and warranties in 15 minutes. They are now safely in their folder in the filing cabinet. Although, I am considering as money is available getting 4 large binders, and separating them out in clear plastic sleeves in the binders, just so it would be even quicker to find them.
No comments:
Post a Comment