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Post by nekomom on May 28, 2013 7:46:18 GMT -5
making progress on papers. Now to see if I can go a bit quicker. My husband wants to refinance the mortgage. Last time we did that we had someone that came into our house to see the dimensions of all the rooms. gasp!
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Post by dtesposito on May 29, 2013 9:34:26 GMT -5
Yay for paper progress! Are you finding things that are important? Or can you can throw a lot of it out?
Diane
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Post by nekomom on May 30, 2013 16:03:36 GMT -5
Yes, I am finding some important things, but also plenty of rubbish.
I have a deadline of one week to let an appraiser in my home. I would like to be done by Saturday morning to possibly get flooring put in that room by this weekend. However, I will have to work night and day for that to happen. I don't know if I am up for that. I just don't seem to have the energy needed.
I need to discard more and keep less. It is so easy to put some things in the 'keep' bin to decide upon later. I must release more than I currently am.
It is so easy to put off making decisions for now, to decide upon later. That is one reason I am in this mess. My lack of being willing to let the paper go is keeping me attached to this stress. I am still holding onto and not letting go of the paper monster. It is a weight upon my shoulders and I should be excited to release it all with the only exception being the very important things - the jewels hiding in the clutter.
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Post by nekomom on May 30, 2013 16:19:00 GMT -5
It seems like am letting go of about 50% of it. I only have room for 10% (or less) of the entire paper mountain range. So after this initial sweep of it I will have to reduce it down some more.
The stress is that I need to hurry and at least get it to a manageable amount I stacked boxes up against one wall. We have so many other things to do and we have a little less than one week to do it all before the appraiser gets here.
I am thankful that I have started and that I am making progress. I am releasing the clutter little by little.
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justdo
New Member
Joined: June 2013
Posts: 39
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Post by justdo on Jun 10, 2013 15:54:05 GMT -5
Hi, Joining this list! -B
TO DO: Step 1 - I will do a *super quick* removal of any random items in my office (kid toys!)
Step 2 - I will gather up all stacks of paper in my house. Move all into one central location: my office.
Step 3 - I will create box system for decluttering/purging paperwork: things to deal with within the WEEK, thing to deal with LATER (file), Shred, Recycle
Step 4 - I will purge papers for 1 hour each day[*] [**] [*] Stick to my one hour limit! Overdoing it will not help me, it will burn me out. [**] For now: Do not stop to "pay the bill", write the card, call the man etc.
Step 5: - Once paper is purged to "current" I WILL hang my calendar, and husband's artwork that I have been putting off.
Major Goal Reminder: To purge a large amount of papers without looking at EACH AND EVERY paper. I know 99% of these papers are not important and if I lose one important paper I have to realize it was already "lost" in my piles anyway.
Long Term REWARD: I will have a clean, functional office and when I do, I will get the artwork I have been wanting for behind the desks! Yay! Happy dance!
Secondary Goal Reminder: Do not capitalize the word 'papers' when writing about them! They are not worthy of capitalization! They are just papers and need to GO!
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justdo
New Member
Joined: June 2013
Posts: 39
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Post by justdo on Jun 10, 2013 16:10:17 GMT -5
As I am going through boxes of papers that I had previously gathered and sorted -- at least to the KEEP stage but not any farther :/ -- and there always seems to be a random power cord, camera cord, cd, key chain etc. that made it's way in there.... those small items distract me. They don't sort into my paper boxes. I don't know what to do with them at that exact moment. Then I end up with a pile of random stuff too next to my papers! Advice??? Should I start a random box? Some of these items themselves can probably go too I'm sure... but it's hard when I'm focused on the papers.
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Post by nekomom on Jun 10, 2013 17:59:05 GMT -5
Hello JustDo. I like your screen name. So glad to have you here in the paper purging journey. You have a great plan and wonderful rewards to look forward to. I have a clear box that I labeled 'not papers' and that is where I put the items that are not papers as I come across it. I have children so I have them put away anything that they know what to do with. They also know where the 'give away' box is so if they see something that can be given away they place it there.
As for me: Luckily our appraisal is pushed back since we didn't refinance with the company my husband first contacted. However, we are now definitely refinancing so I still have to finish with my papers. We are also still painting in my daughters room waiting for flooring to be put in later this week and tackling yard work and everything else. So much to do! For this evening I will be sorting through and purging papers.
I labeled a container for all my magazines to be put into. I will purge some of them after they are all gathered together and I see how much I have. I am no longer subscribed to magazines so I shouldn't have too many.
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Post by MamaAngie on Jun 11, 2013 9:19:02 GMT -5
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justdo
New Member
Joined: June 2013
Posts: 39
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Post by justdo on Jun 11, 2013 10:19:27 GMT -5
Confession: Last night I got all gung-ho and did a lot of tossing. I spent too much time doing it. The kids went to bed late because I was "busy" *sigh* that is exactly what I didn't want to do. Today is a new day though! A good thing-- Found a powder room attached to my office that I was using as a paperwork closet. Complete with an entire bookshelf that I just stuck in there a least 6 months ago because I wanted it out of the way, even though the room is so small you can touch all 4 walls while standing in one spot. But now there is no bookshelf and I can actually get in to go potty in there! I'll call the crazy rampage my "jump start" .... I want to deep clean that bathroom SOOO bad but that isn't part of the master plan for now, it's paperwork! So instead I just did a quick wipe off of the toilet and sink. I feel so antsy about it though! I want to clean it and put a candle in there and make it all nicey nice. Ahhh! Not yet! No 'perfection' distraction allowed! Back to the actual GOAL....paperwork purging! Focus! Today's Goal: 1 hour of paperwork purging ONLY... will do other things that need to be done, like laundry, kid care and self care!
My husband is away at an adaptive sports class for a few days so that is kind of like respite for me and a great opportunity to focus on my goals! My goal is to make real progress on my office book shelf and desk top while he is gone. (I'm actually close after last night's binge!) Also *must* keep up on laundry in spite of my paperwork goals while he is gone!
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justdo
New Member
Joined: June 2013
Posts: 39
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Post by justdo on Jun 12, 2013 9:26:07 GMT -5
Yesterday: -Stayed in office pretty much all day, got lots of progress done but did *not* stick to my one hour limit... again! Grrr. Did manage to get a load of laundry done and kids fed 3 meals. -Learned I DO need to sort into more specific categories as I go since I've already gone through a lot of this stuff a few times before and so I am going through many "keep" piles now. I can still get rid of a lot but sorting specifically at this point is helping. -Used Nekomom's suggestion of a "random box" for keep but non-paper items. Helped a lot! Thank you! TODAY: -Will empty my recycling bin and trash bin into big bin outside so that I have room for more purging. -Groceries are coming before noon and need to be put away. -Make kids/self lunch. -After lunch, will get myself a drink, use a timer to determine one hour limit. Will ONLY purge/sort papers during that hour. Focus. -After 1 hour of purging, I will do 2 loads of laundry and can't re-enter the office until laundry is done (and put away!) -IF I do all of that, I can come back in office and do a bit more random organizing and googling.
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justdo
New Member
Joined: June 2013
Posts: 39
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Post by justdo on Jun 12, 2013 11:03:23 GMT -5
Progress for TODAY: -Will empty my recycling bin and trash bin into big bin outside so that I have room for more purging. -Groceries are coming before noon late and but still need to be put away. -Make kids/self lunch. -After lunch, will get myself a drink, use a timer to determine one hour limit. Will ONLY purge/sort papers during that hour. Focus. -After 1 hour of purging, I will do 2 loads of laundry and can't re-enter the office until laundry is done (and put away!) -IF I do all of that, I can come back in office and do a bit more random organizing and googling.
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Post by MamaAngie on Jun 12, 2013 15:44:04 GMT -5
Great progress Justdo .... and a big on finding the powder room yesterday!!!
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justdo
New Member
Joined: June 2013
Posts: 39
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Post by justdo on Jun 12, 2013 17:31:21 GMT -5
Progress for TODAY: Will empty my recycling bin and trash bin into big bin outside so that I have room for more purging. Groceries are coming before noon late and but still need to be put away. Make kids/self lunch. -After lunch, will get myself a drink, use a timer to determine one hour limit. Will ONLY purge/sort papers during that hour. Focus. After 1 hour of purging, I will do 2 loads of laundry and can't re-enter the office until laundry is done (and put away!) -IF I do all of that, I can come back in office and do a bit more random organizing and googling. Well, got "life" done and a few more checked off items that got thrown at me, so lots of credit there... but no purging for today yet though. Meh. Maybe after kiddos bedtime?
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justdo
New Member
Joined: June 2013
Posts: 39
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Post by justdo on Jun 14, 2013 16:07:02 GMT -5
My desk is cleared off!! Yay me! This is goooooooooood! I can see surface! Hubby notice how much I had done while he was gone, even if it seems like a big mess to me still. I have purged a lot but I still have about 2 big clear totes and 2 small clear totes to go through. And of course the new box of random things I've come across to purge or put away. I need to keep going and not just stop here.
GOALS to keep my desk clear:
1.) I have a habit of writing things down while I'm on the phone with people. Notes, phone numbers, etc. I even write down my own phone number as I say it to people to be sure I'm giving it at "reasonable writing speed" :/ I know I can't stop that habit (at least not ready to try right now!) but I can keep all my writing contained instead of on scraps of paper all over I am going to keep a journal type note book on my desk and do all my writing in there.
2.) I have a shredder right behind me, a recycling bin right behind me AND a trash can right behind me. I will use them. I will not set paper down on my desk unless I plan to do something about it THAT DAY.
3.) I need to find a wall mountable inbox/outbox for daily mail. So that way my husband has an UNDERSTOOD place to put mail when it comes in.
4.) Need to hang the calendar board that has been sitting by my desk for probably a year.
5.) Need to hang husband's artwork. Spent money to have that framed at Christmas and it has just been sitting in the corner. If the kids end up breaking it because I haven't put it up yet, it's not fair to be mad at them.
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justdo
New Member
Joined: June 2013
Posts: 39
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Post by justdo on Jun 14, 2013 19:59:01 GMT -5
Love having a place to write these lists of progress goals down... I forgot what some of them were tonight (even though I only posted a few hours ago!) and had to come back and look!
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