With all of our electronic devices it seems strange to think that we all seem to be drowning in a sea of paper but here we are! I am so excited to share my methods of taming papers with you. I have found a system that works for me and I think it will work for you too. I spend 20mins once a week to clear this clutter. You may think that’s a lot of time to spend but I never lose an hour searching the house for important documents.You don’t have to use the same equipment and I will point out some alternatives along the way and if you have questions I am happy to answer them.
The Mail Stop
I keep this letter rack near the door to stop all those catalogues I want to read, mail I have to attend to and bills I have to pay from cluttering my coffee table or kitchen bench. I found this really did stop things from being left around the house because it is RIGHT by the door. If you have an entry way with a small table or cupboard you could make that your mail stop. And it doesn’t have to be a letter rack it could be a decorative storage box or even a pretty tote on a hook if space is tight. Of course this could be come it’s own clutter if it isn’t cleared, right? So we move on to…
The Diary
I have my beautiful spotty diary as the basis of my organisation. I used to keep a pocket diary in my handbag but I never used it. This diary matches my lounge and is kept on the coffee table. Once a week (Monday fits my current schedule) I clear the mail stop and place cataogues and magazines to read on the coffee table (and throw away or file last weeks) and throw any junk.
I read through bills and other important bits and make note of who I need to call, bills I need to pay and things I need to do. It only takes a few minutes and I know just where I am at. My diary is big enough for me to write up to do lists, I write down who I need to call including the number (this little habit is great when you need to know when you called about a bill or an order). I can also store important mail in the fabric flap which I clear on my admin day. Finally, I migrate things that have been dealt with to the file cabinet.
The File Cabinet
You don’t need to own a huge cabinet, you can get portable files and file boxes that will do just fine. I tend to file all the basic household bills in one file and shred the contents often, I do think they need to be kept for years. I do file warranty information, birth certificates, legal information etc. I use large A4 snap seal bags from the supermarket (yes, they exist) to keep files with multiple bits of paper (like my oven manual, receipt of purchase, warranty info and installation certificate) as they can be easily marked and bits don’t fall out like they can with plastic pockets.
The House Book
I love this idea and I stole it from Granny Ask. I keep an exercise book with the dates that things happen so I can see at a glance if it’s worth digging out waranty info or how long I’ve had those curtains when I notice they are fading. It’s very simple, write the date and what happened or what you bought. Mine has the dates I’ve bought curtains, bedlinen, appliances and started receiving services like water delivery or started a new broadband contract. Just the major things that you want to track the age of, I keep mine in date order. I do make notes of warranty periods, especially where I have purchased extra warranty. It’s a good idea to keep a dated photo in a pocket in the back for insurance reasons.
It seems complicated but it takes a second to note the date you started or stopped a job, had a bingle in the car or had the shower tiles repaired. It also means you are never relying on other peoples recollections (or even your own) which can be incorrect, like when I asked Mummy Ask how long I’d owned an appliance and she said a year but the file cabinet showed it had been six years! In the digital world Facebook will remind you of birthdays and you will get an email confirming your new broadband but do you actually know when your contract started or are you relying on an email saying it’s time to renew?
If you give these systems at try, and get some shredding done, you will be free from paper clutter!! You really can do it xx
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