Paper Clutter

Take Care of the Inches in the New Year

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I want to wish everyone a happy, healthy, and productive new year!  This is the time where our hopes and dreams are in full bloom.  Unfortunately our enthusiasm usually dies out when we don’t see results soon enough.

It’s important to have dreams and figure out what steps we have to take to make those dreams come true.  I know…it’s easy to say but hard to do.

I’ve been reading a book called “The Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell.  It talks about how the little things can make a big difference. The problem is we may not see our efforts make much of a difference until they reach a tipping point.  This means that all that exercising may not move the scale very fast but if you keep at it then one day you’ll notice your clothes are fitting a lot better.

The same is true with decluttering and organizing.  You may feel that those few papers you filed or pitched didn’t even make a dent today. But keep at it and before you know it the desk will be cleaned off.

As the weeks and months go by and our hopes of having a great new year start to wane remind yourself that there will be a “tipping point” as long as you take care of the little things. Start each day this year with a list of small steps you can take that will move you closer to reaching your dreams of weight loss (seems to top most lists), organizing, decluttering, or any other dream you have.

There are a couple of quotes I taped up on my desk to remind me focus on the little steps.

Yard by yard, it’s very hard.  But inch by inch, it’s a cinch. ~Anon

I recommend you to take care of the minutes, for the hours will take care of themselves. ~ Lord Chesterfield

Set your goals but focus on what you can do today to move you just a little closer to that tipping point.

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

 

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Are You Overwhelmed With School Papers Yet?

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School has been in session for most children for close to a month now. Are you overwhelmed with all the papers coming home?

There are the notices of events going on, the permission slips, homework, worksheets, and of course all the art work the younger children do.  With so many papers coming in so fast it is easy to put them in a pile to go through later.  But will you and/or your child go through them before the homework is due or the permission slip is too late?

If you didn’t set up a system to handle all these papers before school started then now is the time to do it!  Below are some tips on a system I set up when my children where in school. Since everyone is different there is not one perfect system. You have to find what works best for you and your children. Sometimes it’s a matter of trial and error.  I’ve also listed some websites below for you to check out their tips. The sooner you find one that works the smoother the school year will go for the whole family.

  1. Notices, permission slips, etc.:  A different color pocket folder for each child works best.  Each day when your child brings home the papers be sure to mark the date on your calendar before you file the paper into the folder. You could also use a 3 ring binder with pocket folders in it.
  2. Current homework:  Each child should have their own notebook or folders they keep in their backpack.  Usually the teachers will recommend what they want for their class. Check it daily.  Your child will need to clean out this folder periodically or else the current homework could end up lost in the old homework.
  3. Old homework:  This is were it’s harder to decide what to keep and what to get rid of.  Depending on the grade level there can be a lot of papers that your child never needs to look at again.  If there is a chance they will need it to study for a test help them set up a folder for each subject.  Most of the time in the younger grades you can get rid of the the practice papers.  At the end of the school year very little if any needs to be kept.
  4. Art work/stories:  Many of these will be keepers, at least for a short time.  You can hang up the art work, give it to the grandparents, or store it.  Plastic boxes that go under the bed work great for these since many pieces of  art work are larger than the standard piece of paper.  You can also put those short stories they write in this box.

If you haven’t decluttered last years papers now is a good time to do it. This article will show you how.

https://cutclutterwithscissors.com/decluttering-childrens-school-papers/

Don’t forget to check out some of the links below for more ideas on how to organize children’s school papers.

Website links for controlling school papers.

http://www.onlineorganizing.com/NewslettersArticle.asp?newsletter=go&article=284

http://www.creativehomemaking.com/organizing/kids-artwork.shtml

http://www.familyhistorykids.com/organize_and_preserve_childrens_art_and_school_work.htm

http://www.marilynbohn.com/articles/back-to-school-and-the-agony-of-paperwork.html

Janice

 

 

 

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Organizing Children’s School Papers

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Now that the new school year has begun it’s time to get organized. There are lots of papers that will be entering our homes by way of our children’s backpacks.

There are the notices of events going on, the permission slips, homework, worksheets, and of course all the art work the younger children do.  With so many papers coming in so fast it is easy to put them in a pile to go through later.

But will you and/or your child go through them before the homework is due or the permission slip is too late?

Start out the school year with a plan to handle the incoming papers so you and your child will be more organized. Here are a some suggestions.  If you have a different way to handle the incoming papers, please let me know by leaving a comment below.

  1. For notices, permission slips, etc. you should use a different color pocket folder for each child.  When your child brings home the papers be sure to mark the date on your calendar before you file the paper into the folder. You could also use a 3 ring binder with pocket folders in it.
  2. For current homework each child should have their own notebook or folders they keep in their backpack.  Usually the teachers will recommend what they want for their class.  Check it daily.  Pull out any old homework (see number 3) on a regular basis so the current homework doesn’t get lost in it.
  3. Old homework can really pile up if it isn’t decluttered on a regular basis.  Depending on the grade level there can be a lot of papers that your child will never need to look at again.  If there is a chance they will need it to study for a test then help them set up a folder for each subject. Then when it’s time to study all the papers on that subject will be in one place. Most of the time in the younger grades the practice papers can be recycled.  At the end of the school year almost all the homework papers can be recycled or thrown away.
  4. Art work and stories/essays are papers you’ll probably want to keep for at least a short time.  You can hang up the art work, give it to grandparents, or store it.  Under-bed storage containers are great for these since many pieces of art are larger than the standard piece of paper. Short stories or essays can be put in a binder or in the container with the art work.

If you haven’t decluttered last years papers now is a good time to do it before school gets under way.  Check out this article on how to declutter the papers.

https://cutclutterwithscissors.com/decluttering-childrens-school-papers/

 

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

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Will Yet Another Organizing Product Bring You Success?

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This is the time of year where all those back-to-school and office supplies are on sale. Even if you don’t have school age children (mine are grown) it is easy to get caught up in believing that this organizing file solution or that 5 subject notebook will solve all our paper clutter or organizing problems.

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Guess what – it might work and then again it might not. How many different products or solutions have you tried over the years with limited success? I know I’ve tried many.

folders

What I have learned over the years is it’s not necessarily the product or idea that is bad it’s just that it didn’t work for me.  I’m sure you have had the same result at times.

So besides trial and error plus lots of money spent how can you determine if a product will help you?  That’s a hard question to answer. The best way is to take a look at what is currently working for you in any area of your home.

We all have some areas of our lives where we are relatively organized.

If you are organized when cooking in the kitchen pay attention to what kinds of organizing products and/or habits you are using that makes it work for you. Is your desk at work clean and organized but you desk at home is a disaster? Pay attention to what is working at the office and duplicate it at home if possible.

We are creatures of habit and each of us have different learning/organizing traits.  Some we are born with and some we learned when growing up or as adults. Even if we were born missing the organizing gene we can still find the right kind of products and solutions to help us learn to get more organized.

So when you find yourself tempted to try yet another product in hope that it will solve all your organizing problems stop and think about it first. The questions below will help guide you towards one that might work for you.

Ask yourself:

  1. Does this product work similar to other products I’ve used before?
  2. Have I been successful with using this kind of product?
  3. Do I already have a product or solution for this particular problem but haven’t taken the time to figure out if it will work or not?

As we are bombarded this time of year with all those ads for products to help get our children and ourselves organized we have to remember to stop and think before buying.  Most products can help but one size does not fit all.

Figure out your style (or your child’s) so it will be easier to match the product or solution to it. That will increase your chance of success.

Janice

 

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Paper Clutter Challenge – Home Inventory List

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For the month of May I’m challenging myself to get my paper clutter under control. I’m going to use the information in the eBook “Cut Out The Paper Clutter” to guide me.

With all the tornados destroying homes in the Midwest and South this Spring I realized it was time to update my own inventory list. So that is where I’m starting.

Please join me in this challenge by following along. Be sure to leave a comment to let me know how you are doing.

Once completed this list will give me peace of mind in case of a disaster. It can also be used as a quick and clutter free reference for important information for warranty purposes. A second copy of this list should always be kept off premises preferably in a safe deposit box.

Creating this list can be overwhelming especially if you’ve accumulated many things over the years.

That’s why I suggest you start with taking a photo inventory first then work towards creating a written list.

Here are some great reasons for taking the time to create this list.

  • Both a photo and written inventory list can help with getting reimbursed from the insurance company in case of a disaster.
  • You get to see your possessions through the eyes of a camera. It doesn’t lie!
  • Both the photos and written list can help you recognize your abundance.
  • The photos can help you see what is clutter and what is not.

Week 1 Challenge

To keep from getting overwhelmed I’m only working on one floor at a time.

I’m happy to report that many of my pictures showed that at least some of my rooms, cabinets, and closets are under control. It will be easy to do the written inventory list later. Not everything needs to be on the written list.

The good dishes in the dinning room will be easy to inventory.

The kitchen cabinets aren’t too bad either. The photo will be all that I need. Nothing too valuable here.

The pantry may not have significant things to inventory but a picture speaks a thousand words. It needs some organizing!

Again not a significant area for a detail written list. However, a good decluttering and organizing will make it easier to know what is worth replacing in case of a disaster.

My next step in this challenge will be to take pictures of the upstairs bedrooms and the finished basement. Then I’ll start the written inventory list. Of course, the more I declutter the less I’ll have to write down.

Now that sounds like a good incentive to get rid of things!

Be sure to check back on this blog for the next report.

You can sign up to receive the updates through email on the right sidebar. ——>

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

The Home Inventory List is just one part of the eBook, “Cut Out The Paper Clutter”. You can see a list of the other chapters here. I’ve also extended the special sale price during the month of May while doing this paper clutter challenge.

https://cutclutterwithscissors.com

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