You've found the famous Dave's Garden website! Join this friendly global community that shares tips and ideas for home and gardens, along with seeds and plants!
Check out the DG homepage for a brief overview of what you'll find in this gardening mega-site.
Login
If you don't have an account yet, visit the registration page to sign up.
Several people in the "Bring one in..." thread mentioned the challenges of handling all the paper that sneaks, ever so insidiously, into our homes. From real mail, to junk mail, to childrens' school papers, to newspapers-magazines-catalogues, for some of us it becomes a pit threatening to swallow us whole! Some things should be saved, but for different reasons and different amounts of time. Some things need to go, but some of those things shouldn't really just go in the garbage (identity theft, anyone?) I've seen, read, and heard lots of good ways to store important papers, and how to decide what to keep, what to shred, and what to toss. I even have a file cabinet, all set up to handle the storage.
Turns out the real problem - for me, at least - is to come up with a simple plan for how handle the paper from the time it first touches my hands to the point that it would be tossed, shredded, or filed (too complicated, and I just won't stick to it).
What is your particular struggle with paper? Any suggestions?
My particular struggle is my DH's little piles of paper items on the dining room table. He at least opens, if not reads, every piece of junk mail we get. I guess it might be important. The trouble is he doesn't get to it all right away. I got him a little stand-up organizer for bills that needed to be paid, but it seems he forgets it exists. When I start cleaning off the dining room table, I sort of wave things at him from the dining room and holler, "Honey, I can get rid of this, can't I?" In very short order he comes in to handle the paper himself. LOL
well, i can offer a little advice, as paper has been an issue for me for years. first of all, i learned that some people work better with HORIZONTAL files, rather thatn vertical folders in filing drawers. so if you don't have an actual filebox that stacks vertically, you will just make STACKS.
when i open bills or other important mail, i ALWAYS throw away the envelope. it takes up so much less space that way! and i can just rip the envie instead of looking for the opener. personal mail, i tear off the return address and slip it into my vertical file for addresses: a small three drawer dollar store plastice drawer. top is for addresses, middle is for receipts, and i can't recall what is in the bottom drawer, except that it is IMPORTANT lol
also, sometimes i follow the advice of MK Ash, which was to answer a persons note on the back or bottom of the note they sent you. that saves me hunting for just the right paper, as whatever they sent was probably something they like, and it keeps me from saving their note.
these are just small things that help a little. but for me every little bit helps!
When I bring in the mail, junk mail goes directly to the recycle bin, credit card apps (which I swear have cut down a whole forest just to send them to our home alonE!!) get shredded to protect against ID theft, as well as any other ID sensitive stuff. Like you TF, I discard envelopes. I tear off bill pay stubs and put them w/return envelopes, apply postage and return address and enter the date to be paid in my calendar. The pmt. date is noted on the statement, stapled and filed in vertical file. That way I don't have mail clutter on my desk. It's just all the other electronic gadgets and computer related stuff: i.e. keyboard, mouse, screen, mouse pad, etc. ; docking station for Pocket PC, vertical drop file; 5GB extra storage for computer, I River hookup, digital camera hookup. . and all the office stuff, stapler, etc. That's the stuff that drives me up the wall. Got to be a system out there. . .ANYBODY???
i got a thingy made by 3M to control all that wiring, but haven't put it to use yet. sounds like you need an armoire style computer desk, so you have all those cubbies & wooden drawers handy, & can close itup when not in use. anybody guess what i want for my birthday? LOL
hey, i thought this was a PAPER thread. maybe you should start another for desks & technology?
Here's a thought - it's a bit of a leap of faith, but... consider having as much as possible paid electronically.
Idea:
1) Pay electronically
Mortgage, utilities, credit card payment, all electronic auto-payment and select the option not to get the paper bill
You can get statements online for almost everything now and sure beats trying to dig through historic statements
This also prevents the risk of theft through the mail (although you must balance it with concerns about electronic theft, but often the problem is from stealing the mail)
You also won't ever forget a payment if you're on an auto-pay system - in fact, I've been able to keep up with a lot of my US bills from another country.
2) Break out incoming mail into:
Shred NOW
Keep for a month, like a catalog
Keep a year (things like insurance policies)
3) Contact companies sending stuff you don't want and tell them to STOP sending it !!!!
Point in case, because I bought my sister some Kinkade (sp?) ornaments a few years ago, they keep sending me these (%@)& offers. I'm only marginally success getting these stopped, but I have been able to stop certain catalogs because I resent that someeone else made the decision to force me to expend effort to recycle catalogs, etc.
I do get a bit of revenge with the company who sends the Kinkade offers because I send back blank forms forcing them to pay the return postage. Also, this gets the paperwork out of the office.
I've been living in Dublin for 2 years and almost everything including rent is auto-pay and it really cuts down on the paperwork.
sbarr. . .I'm with you on most of my bills. I pay almost all my monthly bills by CheckFree, been doing it for several years and it is an excellent free service. They notify you by email when a payment is due and it's about 3 weeks before due date. You can view all the statements right there-they log you in to the billing site automatically. The only drawback is that they're quite slow in adding new companies to pay. But the reluctance could be on the part of the billers. There are some pretty big players who aren't opting to participate, tho they have electronic billing on their websites (maybe that's why). I now only write about 5 to 6 checks a month, sometimes less, all to the same places each month that don't do electronic. I'm almost ready to print my own checks, but will use up what I have first. Got them cheap through a special at Costco business. I also get some statements on line to save getting paper statements.
Thanks for sharing your procedure. Years ago a friend of mine got sick of getting mail from unwanted sources, so started writing, DECEASED!! Return to Sender. It seemed to work most of the time, as I guess the sender has to pay the return postage. Don't know if that might work for some of this unwanted junk.
I started using auto pay or bill pay, too, which is making a big difference in paperwork management. I still receive my bills in the mail but may start to accept electronic bills from those companies that offer. I receive my statement in the mail, which I file (or am supposed to) as a paper record of the transactions. It is convenient not writing out checks, not addressing envelopes, not searching for or buying stamps, and not finding a bill that should have been mailed two weeks ago staring up from a stack.
I have a filing cabinet, but it is inconvenient. I told my daughter she could have it. At Wal-Mart, I got a small plastic container that holds hanging files to use for my adjunct teaching paperwork, and it is working. Now I am going to get another to use for my househole files. They are easier to work with than a filing cabinet because I can pull it out and work with it at the dining table (my office), and then put it back when I am finished. (I used to have a home office, but it became so cluttered and junky, and I actually prefer to work on the dining table.)
I also really like my daughter's laptop, which she'll be taking back to college with her this coming Saturday. We used to have a bulky computer, which had stopped working. When I do get a computer, it will be a wireless laptop. Then I am not stuck at the desk. I can also use it on the back porch or in the yard. It has only one wire to plug it in so that it doesn't drain the battery. It is easily plugged in to the printer and the other electronic gagetry when needed.
One other important thing related to doing online financial stuff, that should go unsaid, but I can't tell you how many friends of mine are lax about it and get themselves in computer 'pickles' all the time. I have it on my calendar on a monthly basis to check for computer updates of all my stuff. Most have automatic updates which I don't use, as I want to decide what I want to update and when. This includes all security software, although i do allow them to update at will, since they are on top of all current threats. The drawback to that being that you sometimes have to restart the computer for them to take effect and if I get a second and third notification from the same one, it's a clue to restart the computer. On the same day, I also run Ad-aware to detect and remove data miners and other privacy threats from all my internet surfing.
fireant13 . . .I've been seeing some small rolling dropfile carts for home office use that look really handy if one needs to go to another room i.e. when desk if being hogged by someone else. My hubby and I each have our own desk, computer, printer, the whole shebang. . .got tired of wrestling to use his. At night this room is lit up like the control panel in an airport tower, all these little different colored lights on everything. . .some solid, some flashing, etc. kind of eerie, LOL.
Sorry TF. . . ;-((((
This stuff should probably all be in another thread (or forum for that matter) as well. . . but it is an organizational issue. . .LOL. Nothing can make you feel more unorganized that having your system down by a virus, etc. and being unable to do anything you need to do. . i.e. DG, DG, DG . . . . . .
All good points - I don't have a filing cabinet back in the US and will need to figure out the right system for storing papers. Currently it's a plastic tote (geologically arranged like sediment) - new stuff on top! :-) Not ideal, so I'll be watching to see where you people are the most satisfied.
For the electonic stuff, fortunately Doug is a computer whiz so he keeps me going. I have a new wireless laptop here in Dublin and it sure beats being bogged down by all of the wires, etc. of a desktop, which I have in the US and will be getting rid of when I return so I only have ONE simple, streamlined system.
A suggestion here for an electronic life - vary your passwords and login accounts, but always keep a password protected excel file with all of your logins and passwords. And for that document (irony of ironies) either back up on disk or save a printed copy somewhere so if you ever do have a problem, you can make your payments from any computer with internet connection. For extra security - not a bad idea to slightly transpose either account or password so if someone did get it, it wouldn't be especially helpful.
hey, all good stuff! i use a software called desktop assistant, i think i paid 10 bucks for it when i first started doing taxes online, and it has really saved me.
WHAT? you only keep catalogs ONE MONTH??? are you nuts. obviously, you are in the wrong forum, this one is calle clean and clutter free, meaning that is our GOAL, not our style LOL
before CHristmas, i packed all my garedn related books and catalogs in bankers boxes, so i would have room for decorations LOL at that time, i tossed LOTS of catalogs, but still like to keep some for reference.
i have one of those upright portable file things somewhere. using it for something permanent, since i too, got rid of that bulky metal filing cabinet. good idea to have one handy to use for current stuff.
yep, current stuff. i look around and see piles of current stuff i am "working on". seems i may need two, on for everything, another just for DG...
After I tackle the mounds of paper on the dresser in my room, I hope to keep it all under control. (It is like sediment.) A rolling cart sounds like a good idea. I plan to keep all paperwork out of my room, so the third bedroom closet will probably be a good place to park a rolling cart with all the "office" supplies I need in it. From what everyone is saying, I think I also need to get a shredder.
hey, all good stuff! i use a software called desktop assistant, i think i paid 10 bucks for it when i first started doing taxes online, and it has really saved me.
WHAT? you only keep catalogs ONE MONTH??? are you nuts. obviously, you are in the wrong forum, this one is calle clean and clutter free, meaning that is our GOAL, not our style LOL
before CHristmas, i packed all my garedn related books and catalogs in bankers boxes, so i would have room for decorations LOL at that time, i tossed LOTS of catalogs, but still like to keep some for reference.
i have one of those upright portable file things somewhere. using it for something permanent, since i too, got rid of that bulky metal filing cabinet. good idea to have one handy to use for current stuff.
yep, current stuff. i look around and see piles of current stuff i am "working on". seems i may need two, on for everything, another just for DG...
sbarr, those are great suggestions! I have been paying everything electronically for a long time now. I can't remember the last time I wrote a check. I have one more book of checks left, from checks I ordered about five yrs ago! I keep them just in case I need to write a check for something right away. (But then I can't remember where the darn thing is, lol.)
That's a really good system for sorting the mail. Maybe I should keep a small box or trashcan right next to the shredder for those items, shred them whenever the container is threatening to get full.
I hadn't thought about contacting companies to get off their mailing lists, never really thought you could do that. For those credit offers that come with postage-pd envelopes, I tear up the junk and mail it back to them.
Tamara, Desktop Assistant sounds neat! So you really like it?
There are still two major paper struggles I have:
1) What to do with receipts. I have to save some receipts to make claims for my flexible medical spending account. Then there are the ATM and other charge or debit card receipts. I usually stuff them in my purse when I purchase. Later on they are in my way, so I take them out - sometimes in the car, sometimes on the dining table, sometimes in the kitchen, living room, bedroom, computer room - you get the idea. I feel like I'm drowning in receipts! Then I can't find what I need when I need to make a claim.
2)What to keep and for how long? This can be receipts, credit card statements, utility bills, insurance papers, bank statements, whatever. Some things have to be kept for tax reasons, others not. Any ideas?
Daily- I sort the mail. shred, toss, pile. One single file on my desk for this purpose (this is in theory...right now my desk is a disaster...but I did just move, after all...)
Friday- everything in my pile gets taken care of. Bills are paid (electronically! Takes about 5 minutes of my time). Receipts are recorded. Paper is filed.
Monthly- business taxes
Ditto above for quarterly
Yearly- empty my filing system to start fresh. Toss what can be tossed, box up and lable by year what needs to be kept for tax purposes.
My filing system changes every now and then, but 2 of my favorite ways are :
1) hanging file folders. Lable as: mortgage, phone, electric, etc. place paid bill in the front. Easy as pie.
2) 3 ring binder. Same concept, except you have to go through an extra step to punch the holes. Advantage to this one is it is portable if you need this.
What to do with receipts: place them in the "friday pile". Balance the checkbook, file in folder for medical, toss. If it is a receipt for some electronic that you purchased, toss the receipt and the manual in your pile, on Friday, staple the receipt to the front of the manual, and file in your filing cabinet. I have a whole drawer with simple ABC lables that holds ALL of the manuals. I used to keep them here, there, and everywhere...then couldn't ever find it. Ditto the receipt to the item. On the yearly cleanout, I browse through the manual drawer and toss anything that we no longer have.
Maggie, make a list of things that you have- write them all down, then decide what you feel the most comfortable time-wise with getting rid of.
I can't help too much...as a business, I have to keep everything forever :) A couple of recomendations, tho:
-credit card statements- at least a year. If you follow my plan above, I'd toss a box every year. So, right this second, I'd have 2006 started in my filing system, 2005 in my attic boxed up, and 2004 on the curb to toss (uhhhh- I'd actually shred or burn it :) )
- bank statements- ditto above
- utilities- I'd toss these at the end of the year. I do know people who just wait for the next month's bill, note that the company received their payment, and toss the last one. Too many steps for me, though :)
- insurance- I just had an insurance company tell me that I should always have proof of 3 years of insurance. If you've had claims- keep it, for sure.
Great system(s) Trish! I especially like the Friday pile. Kept in one place, you only have to handle the stuff once, and you're done. I'm going to work that system this month. Thanks!
when I bring the mail in, I sit down near the trash can, all of the catalogs and junk mail go in, right away. Bills to be paid have a basket and a separate basket (on my dresser) for papers to be filed. We still have the metal filing cabinet. At the end of the year, my dh boxes everything up (statements of paid bills, he never throws one away) and they go in the attic, with the year marked on the box.
I have requested to be removed from the mailinng list of the credit card companies. That was a big help.
sbarr, i like the idea of having an electronic password file. If only I have the time to learn to use excel. I have a little black address book, where I keep web addresses and passwords.(even my bank account is there). I keep this next to the computer. Recently, with the break-ins that have been happening in our area,I thought, if someone took my computer and the "password book", I would be in trouble.
I would have more time, if I were not addicted to DG! I have now been on for three hours. And I wonder where my times goes.
LOL, i have cut donw on my addiction, by not watching every thread i post to! otherwise, i nver can get off!!! i have been on for one hour, and now leaving ot go do some yard cleam up. it has been waiting till i got my trailer back, nad it is on the way!
btw, that Desktop Assistant has a password protect. i don't dare use it. i did that once, forgot the password, and then had to reinstall!
on the tab for credit/debit cards, i only put the last four digits, and my 3 digit code. i have the first numbers and the pin memorized.
off to get some good Saturday work done! will read the rest of this forum when i am ready to take a break!
My file cabinet is only used for a few things. Manuals, sort of like what Trish does, but I ripped apart a bunch of hanging file folders that were getting trashed anyway and I stick the hanger in the middle of each manual as I get it and staple the receipt and any warranty info to the inside of the cover. Insurance policies in a hanging file, the kids' school pictures, the VIP papers and that type of stuff. If we need to evacuate, I can just grab that whole drawer and the Bill Binder (I made a thread in Budgets about that: [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com] )
For the kids' school stuff I have a slightly different method to my madness, lol. On my pantry door I have a dry erase board that I will get to later. Under the dry erase board I installed 4 clips, 2 for each of my kids. Jenna is in first grade, so her clips have the school's lunch menu that she gets each month and her teacher sends out a monthly calendar as well. I love that teacher, lol, she puts early outs and no school days on it, special class activities, notes if special supplies will be needed, if the kids need to wear something particular on a certain day, birthdays, who has volunteered to be a reader or classroom helper, days she needs a volunteer, field trips etc. She makes it very easy for me to be organized, lol. And she puts a newsletter on the back about the previous month and highlights of the coming month. I've been saving these, I love to look back at them and talk about them later with Jenna and at the end of the year I want to make an album for her with the calendars for each month and the pictures that were taken by the teacher. One of the school supplies she requested at the beginning of the year was 4 rolls of film and she will sort out the pictures for each kid at the end of the year, so cool! The lunch menu is very important to my daughter, lol. She likes to cross off each day and then deciding what she will eat the next day, it also helps her remember which day it is. Nathan (15) mostly uses his clips for sport schedules and important announcements like DANCES!
For the artwork and "I did good" stuff, I have 2 clotheslines attached on the wall between their bedrooms, it pretty much fits 3 big things or 6 regular sized papers. As they put something new up, something old comes off and goes into the storage tub on the floor of their closet. At the end of the year, we sort through them and only keep the really special things in their big Rubbermaid tote that we call the "Memory Box".
The dry erase board. My lifeline, lol. One side of it is for messages and the other is the grocery list. I almost have everyone trained to write it down if they use the last of something. No more lists on the fridge, I just copy it to my grocery list that I make when I do the menus for the next 2 weeks. (I'll talk about this in my thread in Budgets too.)
Between the Bill Binder, the shredder, the dry erase board and the calenders I have pretty much tamed the paper chase. When I stick to it that is! Catalogs are my downfall. Magazines too, but I'm slowly learning to just rip out the page(s) that interest me and sort them into folders marked: Recipes, Garden ideas, Crafts, etc.
I opted my husband and I out last August and it definitely has helped. It will not stop all of them, as by law anyone you do business with can still send offers to you, just like telephone solicitation. There's a reason you still get calls after you've gotten on the DNC list.
for magazines you are not keeping, take your name off and donate them to your doc's office. They will appreciate new stuff in their waiting room and you'll get those puppies out of your house. Or put them on Freecycle if they are good ones. Always someone who is willing to pick up your clutter from you on Freecycle... and use it for something productive!
My husband does the mail piles thing - a different pile for each session, all over the tv room and dining table which I rarely see the
top of.
For unwanted phone calls, including collection calls (!!), say, "do you have a list of people you are not allowed to call?" (they have to have this or they are in violation of a federal law)... when they say yes, ask them politely to put you on it. Then if they call again you can report them for an FCC violation. Works like a charm.
DH is a doctor - and gets rafts of mail every single day... much of it he wants to keep. We have a room full of boxes of his papers, and his office is un-usable and almost completely inaccessible as a result of papers... and then ...
For people keeping passwords in an Excel file you can secure it by keeping it on a disk or other removable media such as a flash drive. Thus not keeping the file on your hard drive. You can put a password on an Excel file but this is really not too secure as there are programs to get the password if some gets the file. If someone were to break into your computer at least they wouldn't be able to get all your passwords if you don't keep them on your hard drive. Just to be safe you really shouldn't keep any credit card info or passwords or account numbers in any files on a hard drive.
