Getting A Grip on Paperwork

Congratulations on the birth of your brand new blog! Having worked with you before, I always value your advice.

I’m going on a trip at the end of February, and would love to have my apt in order before I leave. As I look around, the issue that needs emergency care are the papers that seem to have multiplied at an alarming rate.  I could throw in a lot of other stuff I’d like to have done before I go  - but as I write this it’s the PAPERS that are the most pressing issue.  And each one has it’s very own issue to follow up and etc…. I either need some advice or a great big match….

Thanks!  Gloria

Hi, Gloria:

It's always nice to hear from you!  Please, please don't burn your house down in the name of paper management.  But your desire to do so is very telling.  A very small percentage of the paperwork that clutters your apartment is really important.  That's your jumping off place.  The papers that are truly important are legal papers, tax documentation and love letters (provided you still love the sender).  There are several ways to tackle your paperwork problem, and here they are...

First of all, be proactive.  As you begin to get a handle on the mess that you have, don't allow new paperwork that is coming in add to the confusion.  Come up with a plan of attack, and use it for the new paper work as you begin to work your way through the backlog.

Secondly, figure out what paperwork is archival.  In order to do this, you will need to ask yourself two questions.  "Do I need to keep this?" and "Does it need to be handy?"  If the answers are yes and no respectively, then think about moving these papers to the attic, dry basement, garage, storage unit or somewhere else out of the way.  Old tax returns and documentation fall into this category.

Next, deal with your daily mail.  Toss whatever is junk, place bills to be paid in a folder on your desk, and keep the new catalogues, but toss the ones that they supersede. In addition, create a folder of things that need to be dealt with - insurance claims, letters to be answered etc...  And spend 15 minutes every day dealing with them!  Also create a folder for bank and brokerage statements as well as any other important paperwork that your periodically receive.

Now that you've gotten the archival stuff taken care of and your new mail properly routed, you can look at the rest.  Go through it, in 15 to 20 minute stretches, tossing things that are garbage.  And be ruthless!  File old bank statements, insurance papers and the like.  But the key is to do a little bit every day.  Once you've finished your backlog, maintenance will be easy, taking just a couple of minutes every day to process the mail.

Of course if this doesn't work, it's not a bad idea to hire a professional organizer like me to help you get rid of the backlog and set up a filing system that you can easily maintain!

Comments

[Gloria]

Thanks so much for your always generous response.

GOAL: APT IN ORDER BY FEB 29 WHEN I LEAVE FOR HAWAII

Have been takling this mess according to Neil's Rules of Order.
I decided that, since I cannot have an entire room clear, I would go by area. The first is my brand new dining room table, very carefully selected and a lovely light wood color which I can no longer see due to all the cr---uh...sh----uh....papers papers papers all over. No room to eat. So this was the first thing to clear up.
When I read your response I thought - hmph - will not be throwing anything away - everything is important. Not quite.
Have now filled up a gallon bag of who knows what.
Thought I would tell you what else was on this table:

Three remote controls.
Cell phone.
Wireless Phone.
Three pens.
Three backs to unknown remotes
Cat clipper.
Two big clip things
Paper clip.
Rubber band
One tea bag.
Two Weight Watcher books
One random nickle.
One small tape recorder
Pill container
Two buttons in a little bag
Bob the Clock
One earring
One teeney screw
Small writing journal
Eye glass case
Glasses
Pill container
Small vial of flu remedy - two yrs old
One package Purell
Container of Airborne (which I'm about to take since all this is making me sick)

This totaly aside from all the papers....

Goal: Have a place to eat breakfast...

OK - done for the night. Table cleaned up!!!

Next: Papers on nice new chair - no room for cat. Clean this up...tomorrow.