Take Control Organizing
Professional Organizer in Eugene-Springfield Oregon | For everything, There is a place!
Do you get too much junk mail? Do you want to stop getting catalogs, sweepstake offers, credit card offers? The list goes on and on…
I found a terrific website I want to pass along… www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs4-junk.htm. This website gives you all of the information, phone numbers, addresses, everything you need to know on how to stop some of this junk mail from coming to your home in the first place!
Did you know?
80% of the paper we file is never looked at again.
23% of Americans pay their bills late, because they can’t find them, and then they have to pay late fees.
We can lose a lot of money by not having our paper in order, plus added frustration of not knowing where important documents are in the first place. The last couple of posts have been about paper clutter, how to determine if you should keep it and what kind of categories it should be placed in. Now where do you place it? Here are some suggestions that can help you contain all of the paper we receive on a daily basis!
Number one rule: Every single piece of paper that comes into the home needs to have a place to live. It’s important to have some kind of filing system in place in order to keep the stacking from happening. How do you do this? Start with a mail system!
Mail System: Have a central location of where you open your mail. Have a decorative basket or mail holder on the wall, this is where you put the mail everyday. Ideally, you want to go through your mail everyday, but if you can’t at least you have one central area you are placing it. Rather than on your countertops, end tables, and so on.
One of the best ways I have dealt with incoming mail is to have a temporary mail filing system. This is a place where I have put the mail after it has been sorted but I am not ready to file it permanently.
Have folders set up into the categories of mail you receive. Here are some examples:
To Do- this is your action file, anything that you need to act on, for example RSVP’s, address changes, forms that need to be signed and returned.
To Read- catalogs, newsletters, magazines, information letters.
To file- credit card statements, financial statements, receipts, coupons.
Bills to Pay- any bill that is due and needs payment
Junk Mail is opened and recycled immediately.
You may have other categories that are relevant to you like a home business file, work file, or a school info file.
These folders could be stored in a drawer or a cupboard that is devoted to being a mail center, or some kind of filing box. As long as they are in the same place all the time.
Tips for paper clutter:
1. You should also have some permanent filing system in place, where you have all of your financial documents, statements, etc. Once this is in place it will be easier to maintain the paper stacks, because the paper will have a home. Some categories here may be: Medical, Insurance, Cable, Cell Phone, Utilities, Banking, Tax Info, etc.
2. Avoid the misc. file, this file can be a trap for paper clutter.
3. Invest in a paper shredder
4. Contact a financial advisor to find out how long to keep certain documents.
Paper clutter has been one of my biggest challenges for my clients. It can build up fast and can be overwhelming to sort. If this is an issue for you and you are in the Eugene/Springfield metro area, give me a call for a free needs assessment. Sometimes all it takes to get it under control is a little guidance from a Professional Organizer and some time. We can work on a specific system that works for you. Call today at 541-514-8573!
You are motivated, you are excited, you see in the Sunday paper there are plenty of sales for storage containers! So you buy and buy and buy. And then realize very quickly, the storage containers were either too small, too big, didn’t fit in the space, you bought too many or too few… so on and so on…
I recommend to all of my clients- Stop! Do not buy new product at the beginning of your organizing project. It will cost you more money in the long run, more time and more frustration… Here are some tips on when to buy new product and what to look for when you are buying!
1. Before buying anything, make sure you have sorted through everything, this way you know exactly what you are buying for, how much is going into the container and you know where it is going when it comes home.
2. Measure this space it is going home too. Too often we think we know, but when we get it home, it is too short, too tall, or just doesn’t look right.
3. Think about who is using the container, if children are using it, make sure it is not too heavy and easy to handle.
4. What kind of storage do you prefer? If you are visual- look for containers that are clear and easy to see what is inside of them. If you prefer something more tidy and hidden, consider baskets or dark bins.
5. Square containers hold more items and are easier to stack.
6. Clear labeling on any container will help you stay organized and keep the right contents in each bin.
7. Remember- being organized is the process is which you develop and go through, knowing what items go into what bins, and putting them back where they belong. You can have all of the best organizing gadgets, bins and baskets available, but without a process, you will not stay organized.
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