I was having a little problem with my mail. I would pile it on my kitchen counters, shove it into a bill holder I had on the wall, and then finally cram it into a filing cabinet.
It was disorganized and it was a constant source of frustration in my kitchen. I knew I needed to try something different.
So when I saw Amy’s post Boosting Energy by Transforming Paper Clutter, it felt like she was speaking directly to me. (I think I actually thought she might even mention me by name!)
The next time I was out shopping, I found a great little bamboo file holder (on clearance) and some pretty file folders for my project. I now have a folder for bills to pay/things that need a response, one for coupons and sales flyers, and one folder for things that need to be filed away in our file cabinet downstairs. I have a folder for the boys for school (eventually they’ll get their own folders, but for now, one folder works.) Since I see the mail first in our house, there’s also a folder for the day’s mail that my husband may want to see (kind of like a pre-file file) such as magazines and letters.
Check out the before and after photos:
The new system is working so much better for us. It’s helped us keep better track of our important papers – which has not only saved us time, but money as well. (No more lost gift cards, dear Hubby!)
This really only took a few minutes of my time and I wish I had done it ages ago. I highly recommend finding a system that works for you and do it today! Don’t wait!
Of course, I don’t want you to think that I’m being smug. Our downstairs file cabinet is still bursting with papers that we need to shred. I’ll be using this list of what papers to purge and what to keep as a guideline for that clutter-clearing process.
How do you tackle your paper clutter?
Related posts on Northern Cheapskate:
{ 1 comment }
What a great idea! Much better than the "stuff them in a drawer" technique I'm currently using.