Category: Home Organization

Filing Dos and Don'ts

10/12/2020

Paper clutter seems to be an almost universal problem. Even in this digital world, most of us still have too many papers cluttering up the surfaces in our homes and offices, with more sneaking in every single day. It’s hard to keep up! Setting up a reference filing system requires us to first answer three important questions:

What do I need to keep?
How long should I keep it?
Where can I put it so that I can easily find it again?

The answers to the first two questions can be found in "How Long Should I Keep It" document that is part of the Paper Tamer Bundle you can download for free on this site. The third requires a bit more thought and effort. All reference filing systems require some amount of maintenance, but here are tips to ensure that yours stands the test of time with minimal upkeep. (Note: The Paper Tamer Bundle includes detailed step-by-step instructions on setting up/tweaking your reference filing system.)

The Dos:

DO go paperless wherever possible. The less paper volume, the less maintenance required. You should still have a system for filing and maintaining your electronic copies, but these are generally much more flexible and require less work.
DO educate yourself. Know what you really do need to keep and what you don’t. This can not only dramatically reduce the volume of paperwork you are handling, the physical space required for your system, and the time spent maintaining it, but it will make retrieval much faster and easier too.
DO challenge your assumptions. Many of us older filers are still clinging to an outdated way of doing things. It’s much quicker and easier to obtain copies of old records from outside sources than it used to be if something we need is missing from our own files. A lot of the things we used to keep, particularly when it comes to banking records, are now readily available electronically should we need them. Consider the time/cost of retrieving something from one of these sources versus the time/effort required to maintain them in our own files when trying to decide if you need to keep it or not. Of course, you will always want to double-check with your financial institutions and advisors first before getting rid of important documents.
DO keep short-term reference papers separate. Papers like this season’s soccer practice schedule, the current school lunch menu, and others that you only need to keep for a few weeks or months should not get hidden away in your long-term reference system where they are likely to just clutter up the folders. I suggest a Short-Term Reference folder added to your QuickSort system (see Paper Tamer Bundle for more on this) as a good holding spot for these items. They will not only be handier to access here but also easier to eliminate when they become outdated.
DO use hanging folders. Placing each manila folder into its own hanging folder will dramatically improve the usability of your system. No more folders slipping beneath other folders or getting bent or wrinkled. Hanging folders slide open easily and just require less physical effort to fill and to search through. Never underestimate the role convenience (or lack of it) plays in whether or not you complete a dreaded task like filing.
DO write notes to yourself. If you have documents that could easily get filed in more than one spot and are afraid you won’t remember which place you ultimately decided to put it, write a note to remind yourself where you’ll find it and place the note in the folder you did not use. Alternatively, you can add a note to your index (see below) to help you remember.
DO keep it streamlined. You should go through your reference files every 1-2 years at a minimum to remove any papers you no longer need and to clean up anything that is misfiled. The fuller your system, the harder it is to use. Nothing kills a filing system quicker than overstuffed files!
DO create an index. Much like an index in a book, your filing system should be structured based on how you are likely to search for items later. As much as you may think you’ll remember what categories and sub-categories your system contains, you won’t. Make it easier on yourself by printing out a list of all your folders. Keep this at the front of your system as a quick reference to jog your memory later. This is especially helpful if you have multiple drawers or boxes of files. Be sure to update this index anytime you add/remove/combine folders or make other structural changes to your system.
DO try to make your system intuitive. A person of average intelligence should be able to retrieve any document from your system without an explanation of the file structure. You never know when such a situation may arise. BTW, that index will help.

The Don’ts:

DON’T maintain duplicate files for the same type of papers. While it’s okay to keep personal files in a separate spot from work files, or to maintain archive files (the ones you have to keep really long term but will probably never need to access...like old taxes) that are separate from regular reference files, you should not have two separate sets of files for the same type of papers. This will only increase the number of places you need to look for something and likely create confusion.
DON’T over-organize your files. Yes, there is such a thing as being too organized. The goal should be to make finding what you need relatively quick and easy, not to have everything perfect. If a file folder contains less than 10 documents and you know you may or may not ever need to find one of them again, do you really need to spend any extra time putting them each in sequential order? Probably not. If, on the other hand, you are likely to have to find the exact invoice in the middle of a meeting without fumbling around, maybe so. Always consider whether or not the time you are investing in that particular step is likely to yield dividends later.
DON’T keep empty folders you don’t need. Once you realize you no longer need it. Get rid of it to keep your system streamlined.

With a little bit of thought and effort, coupled with these simple guidelines, setting up a reference filing system that stands the test of time will be easy peasy.

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Prevent Paper Pileup

10/5/2020

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Piles of papers make me anxious. You will not find stacks of paper anywhere in my home. I dispose of any random slips of paper found in my pockets, purse or car as eagerly as tossing out used tissues. When I see unfiled papers, I see unmade decisions, incomplete tasks, and uncertainty, all of which provoke in me a sense of dread and anxiety. So keeping up with my daily influx of paper is my #1 organizing priority. Believe it or not, taming your own paper dragon can be as easy as changing a few bad habits and adopting one new one.

Nine bad habits that can lead to paper pileup:
1) Clipping coupons - Let's be honest...there are a very few people out there who do couponing well. The rest of us are just kidding ourselves. Unless you are a serious couponer who has a proven system that works, accept the fact that the time and effort you are wasting on clipping, saving, and organizing coupons that rarely get used before they expire might be better spent actually processing your mail instead. Toss all coupons but the ones you know you will 100% use. No, you don't need to look through them to see what you're missing. Your time is worth more than the few cents you might save.

2) Saving articles, ideas, recipes, or brochures for "future reference" - These days, very little of what we find in newspapers and magazines is not also available for free online. Chances are that it will take more time/effort for you to find a clipping you saved when you are ready to refer to it than it will to just Google it and find it online instead. Information on events can usually be found on an organization's website. Pinterest is great for finding and bookmarking decorating, entertaining, fashion, gift, and cooking ideas. You can bookmark links to relevant articles which are also often archived online by publication. If you really need to, you can maintain a list in your phone of places you hope to someday visit, helpful websites, names of recipe or other topic sources, etc. to help you find something later. There's no need to keep a stash of old clippings.

3) Using paper piles as a tickler for action items - Instead of creating an action pile, create an action file. Put the papers away and enter a reminder in your phone or calendar or on your to-do list to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. Get in the habit of consulting these tools daily, or ask Alexa or Siri to remind you. Using the papers themselves as your tickler is ineffective because over time, as the paper clutter increases, they are likely to get lost or overlooked. By filing them, you will know exactly where to find what you need when you are ready to complete the task. The key is developing a system you trust for keeping your action tasks front and center in your mind, rather than on your desk or table.

4) Keeping papers out of fear/uncertainty - Do you really need to keep those old statements...receipts...canceled checks? Many people save old records unnecessarily because they think they may need them later. While it is true that there are definitely some important documents you should archive, many of us save papers unnecessarily "just to be on the safe side". it's worth taking the time to educate yourself on what you should keep and what can be tossed so that you can free up some space in your filing cabinet and make the filing chore less cumbersome. You'll find a downloadable guide here to get you started. Download the FREE Easy Peasy Paper Tamer Guide for suggestions on what documents to keep and for how long. You can also check with your accountant or financial advisor if you're uncertain if you really need it. Just don't keep papers by default simply because you don't know whether or not you can safely get rid of them.

5) Saving information for others - Stop saving clipped articles for someone you think might find them interesting! Chances are, you will forget to give it to them, and they may prefer a text telling them where to find it online anyway. While it's nice that you are thinking of them, most people don't want more paper to deal with!

6) Saving papers to scan later - If you really want to scan it, scan it right away or schedule an appointment in your calendar for scanning everything and keep it. Almost everyone I know with a "to scan" pile never gets around to scanning it and ends up eventually just tossing the whole pile.

7) Hoarding old magazines/newspapers - Keep only the current issue. If you haven't read it by the time the new issue arrives, toss it. If you find you aren't reading most of them, you should cancel your subscription. I'll bet you've never heard of anyone dying or suffering a significant consequence simply because they missed reading an issue of their favorite magazine...BUT, stacks of magazines and newspapers can present a dangerous fire hazard!

8) Reading/opening junk mail - Ignore the obvious junk mail! It's only purpose is to get you to buy something. If you truly need something, you'll remember without the solicitation and will seek out information on available options at the time you're ready to actually make a purchase. Tossing your junk mail will help you resist the temptation to acquire unwanted items that will only clutter up your home. If you feel a cursory glance is necessary, do it on the way in from the mailbox and then trash the sales pitch right away. It should never even touch any surface in your home!
9) Believing you have to shred everything - It may come as a surprise to many that your address is public information. Shredding everything will not keep it out of the hands of nefarious forces, unfortunately. You only need to shred items with sensitive information such as complete account numbers, your social security number, your tax ID, etc. Receipts that only contain the last four digits of your credit card number do not need to be shredded. Reviewing your credit report each year from each of the major reporting companies is helpful in protecting yourself against identity theft. If you have a large amount of old papers that really do require shredding, consider paying to have it shredded, or look out for free community shredding events in your local area to get it out of your way. Invest in a home shredder and keep it handy to shred as you go so that it doesn't continue to pile up.

One new habit to adopt:
Go through all incoming papers and mail each and every day before you go to bed and decide what to do with each piece. If you keep up with this, it should not take you more than 5-10 minutes per day to keep your surfaces clear of paper clutter once you get rid of your backlog. Set up a simple paper triage system to help you keep your papers neat, organized and put away out of sight (yes, that's right...see #3 above for why this is a good thing!) until you can complete any next steps like paying the bills or making a follow-up phone call. There are specific instructions in the FREE Paper Tamer Guide on how to set up and use a simple daily paper triage system to help you convert your paper piles into labeled files that are easier to manage.
With a little discipline and a large recycle bin, even preventing paper pileup can be easy peasy!

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Simple Food

8/17/2020

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Have you ever noticed how time-consuming consuming food can be? First we have to decide what food to eat. Then we have to acquire the food. Next, we have to prepare the food. After that, we actually eat the food. And finally, we must clean up from preparing and eating the food. And this cycle never ends. Most of us perform each of these tasks several times, every single day. It stands to reason that any effort to simplify our lives must include simplifying how we consume food.

Whether you are cooking for a large family or eating alone, a little planning can go a long way toward saving valuable time, effort, money and energy in the kitchen. Knowing in advance what's on the menu will allow you to take advantage of some shortcuts and ultimately leave you feeling less stressed and more satisfied by your meals. As you may have gathered, I'm a big advocate of meal planning and have created this free guide and menu planner to help teach you just how easy peasy it can be. But whether you plan a week's worth of dinners in advance or not, here are a few tips to help you simplify your eating:

Keep a list of your favorite meals and add to it as you try new things. Include a few "pantry meals" that require only ingredients you tend to keep on hand for a last-minute rescue when needed.
If cooking for multiple people, choose dishes that can be easily modified to suit everyone's diet and taste preferences to avoid feeling like a short-order cook.
Create a shopping list before heading to the store to ensure you don't forget key items you need and cut down on impulse buys.
Eat meals that center around the same ingredients to avoid food waste and to save time on prep.
Prep ingredients for several meals at a time in advance or purchase ingredients that are already partially prepared. (Salad bars are a great place to purchase pre-chopped veggies for any meal.)
Cook extra and divide the leftovers into individual portions to freeze or refrigerate for later use.
Minimize the number of dishes you use in preparing food to make cleanup quicker and easier. (One-pot meals are the best!)
Use pre-made mixes to save time without sacrificing that homemade yumminess.
Create and store frequently-used herb/spice combinations in larger batches in order to save time.
Use your grill! Grilling adds tons of flavor with little to no prep work and no pots or pans to wash.
Eat the same breakfast and lunch every day (or have 2-3 you alternate between) to simplify your shopping list.
Identify a healthy take-out dinner alternative for nights when life makes cooking impossible. (My go-to "emergency dinner" is a rotisserie chicken, loaf of fresh-baked bread and bagged caesar salad picked up from the grocery store on my way home.)
Plan your cooking around your calendar. Busy days should require less time in the kitchen.
If you don't enjoy cooking, just keep it really simple: grilled or baked meat/protein + vegetables + (optional) starch.
Look for recipes requiring 5 or fewer ingredients. (Check out the recipes in our Meal Planning and Recipe section.)
Do a "dinner swap" with a friend. You each make a large batch of a dinner entree. Divide your batch in half; keep one half and swap the other. This way you only have to cook once but end up with two different meals.
Memorize your favorite recipes to save time, or create a "cheat sheet" of the measurements to hang on your fridge so that you don't have to look it up each time.
Involve the whole family in the cooking and cleanup to lighten the burden and teach kids some life skills.
Learn and master time-saving kitchen hacks. (Follow @Blossom on Instagram for some really clever videos.)
Eat breakfast for dinner. (This was my mother's favorite cooking cheat. I mean, what's easier after a busy day than whipping up some scrambled eggs or a bowl of cereal?)

The most important rule of all to follow when it comes to cooking and eating your food is to enjoy the moment! Take a much-needed break from your daily stresses as you eat. If you're eating with others, enjoy the time together and some good conversation. If you're eating alone, enjoy the quiet solitude and time to reflect. Either way, put your phone down, turn off the TV, and give yourself some time to unwind. Eating should be about replenishing your mind and soul, as well as your body. Be present in the moment. You invested a lot of time and effort in creating it...make it worth it!

With a few tips and a healthy appetite, even keeping food simple can be easy peasy.

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Filing Dos and Don'ts

Prevent Paper Pileup

Simple Food

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