Posts Tagged ‘Paper Handling’

Pare Down the Paper Invasion

November 1st, 2012

I’ve recently taken on the self-assigned duty of spending a minimum of 5 minutes each day de-cluttering my office.  “Ah ha!” you’re probably thinking, “Even the professional can’t keep her office organized.” Not so fast, dear reader. My office is actually very well organized – it’s just time for my annual “review and pare down” routine. But rather than doing it in big chunks, I’m practicing what I talked about in my recent blog post – I’m breaking this project down into small steps to get it accomplished. Five minutes a day (ok, it’s so much fun that I typically spend 15 minutes a day) may not seem like much, but over the past three weeks I’ve pared down two file drawers and should have my project completed by the end of the month. Inspired by the multiple bags of papers I’m recycling and the shredder that’s been working overtime, here are some ideas about how to reduce the amount of paper flowing into your (and my) life.

Jettison junk mail. Junk mail can disguise itself as fun or interesting items, but it’s still junk if it’s not something you’ve invited to into your home. I’ve used both of the following free services and they’ve definitely helped lighten my mail carrier’s load:

  • Catalog Choice is a one-stop website to simplify the process of unsubscribing from unwanted catalogs.
  • OptOutPrescreen.com will help you opt out from receiving credit card or insurance offers.

Be sure to shred any unwanted solicitations that still slip through to reduce the risk of scammers subscribing for a credit card in your name.

Reduce the number of receipts. Consider whether you need to get a receipt for each of your purchases. If it’s not for something you may return (e.g., gasoline), you won’t need it for reconciling your debit or credit card statement, it’s not for an major purchase or item under warranty, and you won’t need it for budgeting or tax purposes, you can most likely decline receiving a receipt. Your overstuffed wallet will thank you.

Here’s a link to my newsletter where you can read more about the lists that keep me organized. I’d love to hear what other ideas you have to pare down your paper flow.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Posted in Mail Handling, Paper Organizing

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Find More Free Time

April 18th, 2012

A survey by Real Simple Magazine and the Families and Work Institute revealed that amost half of American women say they don’t have enough free time. The survey defined “free time” as “time that you spend on yourself, where you can choose to do things that you enjoy.” I was surprised that the percentage was only 49%, but I’m glad to know there are women out there who don’t fit into the mold of an overworked, overstressed female.

If you’re one of the women who is happy with the amount of free time you have in your day, congratulations – I’d love to hear how you do it. And since you have plenty of free time, you’ve got loads of time to share your tips! If you’re someone without enough free time in your day, it might be helpful to explore why that is. The Real Simple article on the subject surprisingly reported that it isn’t typically because of work obligations, but rather because of domestic duties – housework, errands, and childcare.

Housework, errands, and childcare all seem like obligations that would be hard to diminish, but for the sake of our mental health, it might be necessary to find a way – constantly being busy with things we “have” to do increases our stress level which can reduce our overall physical and mental health. So how do we scale back? Two solutions that most commonly work for my clients are lowering expectations and delegating more. These two go hand-in-hand – if you’re less concerned about whether the towels are precisely folded into perfect piles, you might be more willing to delegate that task to your able-bodied children.

Even without delegating, lowering your standards can help you find more time. For example, if you’re willing to make frozen vegetable a few nights a week rather than washing, cleaning, and cutting fresh vegetables for every meal, you might have more time to spend doing something fun (although I know there’s someone out there who enjoys snapping the stems from green beans). Sure it’s great to have a clean house, but maybe your goal can be to clean the bathroom each week, but dust every other week. I’ve sometimes managed to ignore dust for entire month! I find it a lot more fulfilling to be out on my bike enjoying nature than at home admiring my dust-free table tops.

My goal here isn’t to tell you precisely how to live your life, but to encourage you to explore ways to make your life more fun and meaningful. I think it’s okay, in fact it’s essential, to put ourselves first sometimes –after all, life is meant to be enjoyed. So what would you do with more free time in your life, and how can you make it happen?

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Posted in Household Tasks, Time Management

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Now is a Great Time to Organize Your Paperwork

February 2nd, 2012

Ready or not, here it comes – tax season will be upon us sooner than we may like. Do you remember how things went last year as you gathered your financial paperwork? Will this year be more organized? Did you have to forego some deductions you deserved last year because you couldn’t find the supporting paperwork? Did you have to pay your tax preparer an additional amount to sort out the jumble of information you dumped in his or her office at the last minute? Did you waste hours searching for misplaced financial statements and receipts?

This article offers some ideas to help you organize your paperwork, which can save you time as well as money as you pull together your tax documents. There are many ways to organize paperwork, so choose the ideas that resonate with you and adjust the system as needed to fit your needs. Although properly setting up your files may be quite time consuming, you’ll reap the benefits for years to come.

Keep important papers in a fireproof safe or in a safe deposit box.Here’s a link to some information on what you should and shouldn’t keep in a safe deposit box (due to its limited accessibility). http://www.bankrate.com/finance/savings/4-bank-safe-deposit-box-questions-1.aspx

Use a file cabinet or some other type of container to hold your other documents. Office supply stores offer many options, including file carts (which are open on top and typically on wheels), desktop file holders, portable file boxes, crates made specifically for holding files, and even cardboard boxes. Several things to consider when deciding what container to use include: where you will keep it; how easy it is to put papers in it and retrieve papers from it; how secure it will allow your papers to be; and whether or not you’re a “visual” person who would prefer a somewhat open container. To simplify the remainder of this discussion, I’ll assume you’re using a file cabinet. However, my comments are relevant no matter what type of container you use.

Create broad categories to group your papers. If your categories are too specific, you’ll have too many places to search for information. For example, rather than create separate categories for flowers, trees and shrubs, you might want a category called “Gardening.” Be sure to name the categories the way you think of them. For example, if you think in terms of “Car”, don’t file car information under “Auto.”

Here’s a link to my newsletter where you can find some more ideas to help you organize your paperwork and make tax time easier than ever. And if you’d like some personalized help getting organized, please get in touch – I’d be glad to help.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Posted in Filing, Paper Organizing

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Keep Your Paperwork Under Control

May 4th, 2011

man buried in pile of crumpled papers holding "HELP" signHow did your tax season go this year? Was preparing your taxes a breeze because you’d carefully organized everything throughout the year to avoid the frantic searches you’d experienced in past years? Or did you file an extension because you’re hopeful that by October you’ll be able to find all the documentation you need? Your tax records might not be the only papers that are in disarray – here are some tips to stay on top of it all. And whether it’s this fall or next spring, here’s to making your next tax season stress-free.

 

Create a place for incoming papers. As tempting as it may be to attack your paper backlog first, start your paper organizing project by establishing a place for all new papers to go – otherwise your piles will get more unwieldy as soon as you bring in the day’s mail. Where does your paperwork collect now – the kitchen or dining room table?; the counter in the mudroom? Make the landing site official by assigning a container (a basket, decorative tray, or in-box) as your collection spot. Put all incoming paper (the mail, kids’ school papers, receipts, etc.) in that spot until you’re ready to act on it. Feeling better? Enjoy the relief of knowing that your piles aren’t going to get any bigger because you’ve stemmed the tide of new additions.  

 

Create a system for papers requiring action. Paper piles typically represent decisions to be made or actions to be taken. For example, an invitation to a party requires a number of decisions and actions: decide if you’ll attend, RSVP, note the event on the calendar, buy a gift. Whew, no wonder you’ve been tossing it into a pile rather than acting on it! Establish places near where you’ll take action to collect the appropriate papers: a file folder for phone calls near the phone, a basket on your desk for bills to pay, a magazine rack next to the comfy chair for things to read – you get the idea. Write a note in your planner to remind yourself to take action on these papers at least once a week (e.g., pay bills on Saturday).

 

Here’s a link to my newsletter where you’ll find additional ideas to help you spring clean your way to organization.

 

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

Signature Sue

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Posted in Mail Handling, Organizing Process, Paper Organizing

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Be Prepared When Emergency Strikes

March 23rd, 2011

Be prepared in an emergencyThe recent series of disasters in Japan, as well as unrest in many parts of the world, should have us all thinking a little bit more about whether or not we’re prepared for an unexpected disaster. Whether caused by Mother Nature or a human being, an emergency can throw our lives into chaos – being prepared can help mitigate an emergency’s negative impact. While there’s been lots of information in the press recently about how to prepare for physical survival in a disaster, you may not have given much thought to your recordkeeping and paperwork. Here are some ideas you might want to implement:

Videotape or photograph your possessions. If a disaster strikes, you may need to provide documentation of your possessions to your insurance company. Take time now to prepare this documentation. Videotape or photograph the contents of your home. Keep receipts from major purchases such as furniture, audio-visual equipment, and jewelry to prove ownership. Keep receipts for home improvements and consider storing paint strips and fabric swatches. Keep this information offsite so you can retrieve it if your home is destroyed. There are several options for doing this

  • Store it in a bank’s safe-deposit box (be sure you’ll have access to a key if your home is destroyed).
  • Scan it and save it onto a flash drive that you give to a friend or family member who lives geographically distant from you (e.g., if a tornado destroys your neighborhood, you’ll want your information somewhere out of the tornado’s reach).
  • Scan it and save it “in the cloud’ for retrieval from anywhere. Dropbox and Evernote are two options for cloud storage.

List your important financial and personal records. This will help you and your family members easily find or reconstruct important records. List or photocopy vital documents (such as your will, life-insurance policies, and stock certificates), note the location of each item, and note the appropriate contact information. Keep a copy in your files at home and store one in your safe-deposit box or fireproof safe. Also, consider giving a copy to a trusted friend, family member, financial advisor, or attorney.

Minimize the impact of a lost purse or wallet.

  • Carry only essential items. For example, leave seldom-used store credit cards at home and only take them with you when you plan to shop at those stores. Don’t carry your Social Security card or anything with this number unless it’s absolutely necessary.
  • Record the important information you carry. Photocopy or scan the front and back of each credit card, your driver’s license and other important information. File the copies in a secure location where you can easily access them so you can notify appropriate agencies quickly.
  • If credit cards are lost or stolen, notify the credit card issuers and the police, credit reporting agencies, and the Social Security Administration (SSA). We’re all aware that we must notify the issuing companies if our credit cards are lost or stolen. In addition, you should notify the other agencies noted above to demonstrate your effort to prevent fraud. Any company that checks your credit will then know your information was lost or stolen. Besides the local police, the agencies to contact are:
    • One of the credit reporting agencies (they will typically notify the other two): Equifax (800-525-6285), Experian (888-397-3742) or Trans Union (800-680-7289)
    • The Social Security Administration Fraud Line: 800-269-0271

If “getting prepared” sounds overwhelming, consider implementing just one tip each week – then you’ll ready for anything.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

Signature Sue

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Posted in Emergency preparedness, Paper Organizing

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Organizing Tips for Eldercare Providers

November 3rd, 2010

elderly womanWhile many seniors enjoy good health and are able to live on their own, some require the assistance of family members or outside caregivers, or have to move to an assisted living facility. No matter what your role is in helping a senior, even if it’s to be a friend to someone caring for a senior, here are some organizing tips to help make the job a bit easier:

Organize medical information for doctor’s appointments. Because seniors are often under the care of several doctors who may not communicate with each other, it can be helpful to bring complete medical information along to each doctor’s appointment. This information might include test results, medication information, notes from visits to other doctors, etc. To make it easy to transport this information, consider storing it in a portable container such as an accordion file or a three-ring binder. Label the sections of the container with category names that will make it easy to quickly find any necessary information. 

Organize medical bills. Since medical bills and insurance explanations of benefits (EOBs) aren’t typically needed at the doctor’s office, keep these items in a separate filing system, such as file folders in a filing cabinet or file box. You can staple the EOBs to the corresponding bill and file them according to the date of service or the name of the service provider. Although I don’t like to create extra paperwork, if the EOB contains service for multiple providers or multiple dates, it’s often easiest to make duplicate copies of the EOB so that the corresponding bill and EOB can easily be filed together. 

 Here’s a link to my newsletter where you’ll find additional ideas to simplify the role of caregiver.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

Signature Sue

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Posted in Eldercare Providers, Organizing Challenges, Organizing Process, Paper Organizing, Seniors

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Organizing Papers for the AD/HD Mind

March 31st, 2010

Find PapersAs intimidating as paper seems, a few simple habits will help you keep it under control. I’ve written previously about how to handle incoming mail, so I’m going to focus here on handling papers you need to keep for reference. Many of my clients have a fear of filing: if they put a document in a file, they fear they’ll never find it again. But how findable are those same documents if they’re buried in piles and scattered throughout your home or office? Here are some things you can do to create a filing system you trust:

Choose vertical over horizontal. When papers are in a pile, only the item on top is visible, meaning you’ll have to spend time digging through the piles to find a specific item. Using a vertical system will allow you to find papers more quickly because you can see more than one item at a time. Desktop file holders, filing carts and crates, and step files all provide vertical filing while still keeping things in view rather than tucked away in a file drawer.

DESKTOP FILE HOLDER

File Crate File Cart

STEP FILE 

Use color to provide visual cues. Establish meaningful yet broad file categories and assign various colors to each category, using colored file folders to distinguish them. This will help you find papers quickly. For example, your financial information might be in green files, medical information in red files, and personal interest information in blue files. Not only will you learn to find things quickly by going to the proper color section of your filing system, but you’ll quickly see when something is filed out of place because the color will stand out. Here’s a picture of my own file cabinet – notice how the colored sections are easy to see.Color-coded file cabinet

Use other techniques to “see” your papers when they’re filed. If you still feel uneasy putting papers in file folders for fear of forgetting them, use clear hanging files, project files, or hanging plastic bags to file your papers. Create an index of your file folders so you can quickly scan the list to trigger your memory of what you’ve filed. You can also refer to the index before creating a new file to make sure papers don’t already have a home.

clear file folders

Project File

 

Create a work zone on your desk. Have you ever had papers disappear from your desk, only to be discovered later in a pile or file where they didn’t belong? Keeping an area of your desk clear for only the documents you’re currently working on will help prevent papers from disappearing into the wrong pile or file.

Let me know which of these techniques work for you, or if you’ve found other ways to turn your paper piles into smiles.

Best wishes,

Signature_Sue

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Posted in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Chronic Disorganization, Filing, Organizing Process, Paper Organizing

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Manage Your Mail

January 27th, 2010

The U.S. Postal Service reported that in 2006, the average household received 29 pieces of mail per week. Sometimes it seems like I get that many pieces a day! In order to prevent the mail from overtaking your home or office, try these tips:

  • Have a designated place to put incoming mail until you’re ready to open it. The kitchen counter or table isn’t usually a good idea unless you’d like the mail to accompany your dinner!
  •  Make time every day to go through the mail. Otherwise you may feel like the postal carrier Newman from the Seinfeld TV show. If possible, try to go through the mail at the same time each day (e.g., right when you bring it in, after dinner, before bed, in the morning, during your commute on public transportation, etc.); this will help make daily processing a habit.
  •  For each piece of mail, decide what the next action is that you need to take on it, and then do something purposeful to move it along on its journey. Possible actions include disposing of it (throwing it out, recycling it, or shredding it), paying it, making a phone call about it, filing it, or reading it. If you can’t take the appropriate action right away, use Action Notes to remind yourself of what the next action is.

action_notes

Put this processed mail that still need action into a desktop file holder, project file, or PilesSmart® system sorted according to the required action. 

  • Schedule time during your week to take the appropriate action on the papers in your action system. 

Enjoy knowing that new paper piles are less likely to appear in your home or office because you’ve got a system set up to manage and organize the mail.

Best wishes as you turn those paper piles into smiles,

Signature_Sue

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Posted in Mail Handling, Paper Organizing

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