Welcome to the 30-Day Organize-athon!
In today’s 5 minutes we’re going to express-organize your paperwork.
Ready, set, organize!
Day 14: Organize Your Paperwork
Step 1: Gather all the paperwork from around your home – whether strewn throughout the house, covering every surface of your home office, or assembled in a towering pile. (If this alone takes more than 5 minutes it doesn’t count!)
Step 2: Quickly flick through the papers and create 3 piles:
- Action Pile: Papers that need your attention – look for bills, school notices, invitations, etc.
- File Pile: Papers that need to be filed – look for warranties, tax info, insurance notices, important receipts, etc.
- Discard Pile: Papers that you don’t need – look for junk mail, notices for past events, random scraps of paper, etc.
Keep it moving and don’t overthink. If you’re really in doubt about something, put it on your Action Pile to consider when you have more time.
Step 3: Schedule a time during the week to action the Action Pile and file the File Pile.
Step 4: Discard the Discard pile. Be sure to shred sensitive information.
And you’re done!
NOTE: We’ll tackle the rest of your desk, den, study, or home office area tomorrow.
Got an Extra 5 Minutes?
- Start dealing with your Action Pile now. It’ll be easier to continue later if you start now; and/or
- File your File Pile; and/or
- Shred your sensitive Discard Pile.
Now don’t you feel liberated?
The 30-Day Organize-athon Mantra
Move fast. Don’t overthink. Let it go!
Leave Your Comment Below…
Please leave your comment below to say you’ve done today’s task.
See you tomorrow!
[Image by aussiegall]
3 Piles idea worked very well for today’s task that needed more than 5 minutes.
Done and I have done every task for the last 14 days!
Oh, so many papers so little time, but every little helps, so I´m getting there!
Completed all 7 tasks
This is my biggest sin. What to do with all of these PAPERS! I spent a speedy 10 minutes on this, but it definitely needs revisited.
Oh, I did this one this morning! yay! I HATE paperwork. It buries me all of the time.
I’ve done 20 minutes but am nowhere near finished.
I got an early start on my day so I could have more than 10-15 min to devote to the day’s challenge in the a.m. but papers & books are my biggest challenges I focused on a table where I do paperwork and the area around a reading chair. I made a significant dent but there’s so much more to do–thanks for the focus
The 5 minutes got me started but this is a huge job so I will keep trucking.
Oh, yes, this one is mine! I’ve been working on our taxes. I first had to clear the dining room table and dealt with that. Then I had to round up all the usual suspects plus the calculator. I now have nice little piles, ready to store away.
I also cleared my desk and dealt with all its paperwork so I can open up the printer for surgery. It has enough ink but will not print. The manual is on my computer so no paper for that!
I also got a binder for all my lose knitting patterns ~ all happy together now.
Did 5 minutes, but this one will need few more 5 min slots.
Oh my…this one was MUCH needed. These piles are huge! Paying bills seems to be the most Action pile items. Done with organizing and I’m going to tackle the rest this afternoon.
Done! Had couple of nagging to-do items that I tackled finally thanks to this.
Luckily, I’m not one bit a paper-hoarder, so this was pretty simple for me.
That’s funny! I was already doing this when I had lunched and checked my messages. A work in progress!
DONE! yay!
Done. But just a lick and a promise. I will nen to go back soon and finish up any strays or goof-offs. Thanks
Done!
All done!!
I finished with my “to file” and have done all seven tasks this week. Feels great to get everything neat and tidy!
OOOOOOOOOOH my! I got a few minutes in and started into a mini-panic attack! I almost closed up shop but I pushed through and ended up getting rid of a kitchen garbage bag full of trash and one brown grocery bag full of shreddables (yet to shred). It only made a dent but I’ll take it. It also inspired me to continue sorting as I went about my morning. I was able to get rid of a small grocery bag of stuff from my bathroom even though we just went through not long ago. A few things pitched/recycled from the kitchen too! The kids better not sit still for too long or they may go too! LOL!
Done! It looks so much better! Thanks for the inspiration! =]