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Post by cando on Dec 26, 2013 6:34:48 GMT -5
Louie - Fantastic that you found a way to declutter with reduced anxiety!!! Wow, you are so close to done with your desk!!! Spent 15 min. on backlog mail (recent thru 1 month ago)1 paper "to be filed", 3 into "Office in a Bag", 7 coupons where they go, 1 card put above fireplace, 9 papers "to be shred" 1 sm. box into recycle bag 2 plastic packaging into trash 32 papers into recycle bag 4 papers into trash CD
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Post by Louie on Dec 26, 2013 14:41:15 GMT -5
hi cando I like the 'office in a bag' idea for the coupons. I spent about an hour in the office again this morning and have cleared the desk! I have filled a washing basket right up with all the papers that need shredding. I threw out old recipes, a lot of notes I had taken when I read books, and a few catalogues. There was a few more papers that needed filing so they went in the new filing cabinet. So, one desk reclaimed from the paper clutter!
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Post by flotsam on Dec 26, 2013 14:41:23 GMT -5
Good work cando and Louie! Wow, one basket full of papers to shred! I didn't quit here right after joining but wasn't posting yesterday and Tuesday evening. I did purge though: Tuesday: 57 papers Wednesday (yesterday): 10 Today so far: 8 I wouldn't have done so much without knowing that I committed myself here.
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Post by Louie on Dec 26, 2013 14:46:17 GMT -5
Well done on purging papers flotsam!
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Post by flotsam on Dec 27, 2013 14:02:27 GMT -5
Thank you, Louie! Today I got rid of 40 papers. First I thought of stopping after I hit my goal of 10 papers, but then I wanted to have this binder finished.
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Post by Louie on Dec 27, 2013 14:07:55 GMT -5
This morning I started cleaning out one shelf and I came across all the notes from a course I started in 2008. I couldn't finish it due to mum being sick and I guess I kept it all 'just in case'. I have thrown it all out. It's time to accept where my life is today and stop living in the past and the future. I'm starting to ask myself 'does this reflect my life now? or do I need it now?" I'm realising going through the paperwork that a lot is procrastination and a lot of it is holding on to some sort of image I have of myself that is actually not even realistic eg I kept stacks of recipes - I don't even like cooking! I've kept lots of notes from books I read over the years - but I never go back and read them. I've kept too many years of finance records in case I get asked for them, I never have and in reality now almost everything is online anyway. I'm keeping them out of fear. I've also kept plodding along putting 'like things together' and ... well... I have 34 notebooks A4 size and 26 smaller notebooks... how come I can never find a piece of paper when I need it? - and I haven't finished yet! I'll probably do another session on paper clutter later today - I am definitely feeling more motivated to do it as I see the empty spaces appearing.
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Post by Louie on Dec 27, 2013 14:09:11 GMT -5
hi flotsam we cross posted again, yay for 40 papers and one binder down! thats great! it's great having company to get through the paperwork
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Post by cando on Dec 27, 2013 14:28:24 GMT -5
Hi y'all! Yesterday, I was hoping to get more done, but at least I did this: 15 min. Going thru backlog of mail from as long as a month ago - 13 Coupons put where they go, 1 magazine for DS, 3 papers "to be filed", 2 papers into trash, 48 papers/catalogs/magaines into recycle bag. Louie When I mention "Office in a Bag"... this is actually something that I learned and love from Flylady. I did not buy the one she sells... I bought a briefcase type thing (soft sided) that has a shoulder strap and handles, too. It is black from Target. The idea is to have a portable office. I keep in it papers that I am working on or need to be worked on soon as they are important, bills, stamps, small stapler, staples, envelopes, thank you notes, pen, etc. I do NOT keep coupons in there unless I am taking the bag with me and have pulled particular coupons that I am getting ready to use. Currently, I am not keeping coupons exactly where they should be, but I am hoping to get to that pretty soon. I would like to keep a folder with them in my car. I used to have 3 folders in my car for them that I kept in the pouches in back of the front seats. One was for food coupons (fast food/restaurants, etc), another was for car stuff and the third was for other places like Macy's. I also had a folder in my file cabinet for other coupons. Right now I have a temporary spot for coupons on my breakfast bar... it is not a good spot, but I have other things more important right now than dealing with those. I'd like to get back to my old system minus the car folder. (thankfully we have new cars, now!) CD
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Post by cando on Dec 28, 2013 5:27:22 GMT -5
Yesterday: 15 min. Filing (that same bag on top of Buffet in Dining Room - 2011 papers this time). 1 paper to be shred, 7 papers/sm. book, etc. into recycle bag. I am about 3/4 thru this bag, now... CD
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Post by Jannie on Dec 28, 2013 8:59:55 GMT -5
I bought a folder with two sides, a pocket on each side. I have marked the left side "to do" for papers/letters that require an action on my part, such as a phone call or other response. The right side has bills "To Pay". I try to keep both sides as empty as possible. I may wind up with duplicate bills but at least I can easily spot them. Just corralling things in one spot (this folder) is a big help to me. Another big deal for me, I cleaned off my kitchen table. There was a pile of paper there, Christmas cards, bills, coupons to go through, etc. I'd been ignoring it for a while because I was sick with a cold. The morning of Christmas Day, I went through the pile, threw out most of it, saved important papers to my folder mentioned above.
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Post by Louie on Dec 29, 2013 3:24:08 GMT -5
welcome Jannnie good to have you here and well done on the folder and clearing paper off the table Today I cleared the paper off the office chair, most of it was filing and shredding. I also tossed out 19 magazines.
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Post by cando on Dec 29, 2013 22:16:56 GMT -5
Well done, Jannie and Louie ! Yesterday, I spent 2 hours going thru papers in my "Office in a Bag" - Didn't realize how very long it has been!!! 2008 - 2013 papers were in there. I had to make many decisions regarding these papers, but knew that they had been in there waay too long!!! All of them were important papers which made it difficult... or at the time that I kept them, I thought they were important. So...Did. Stack of papers needs to be filed, Smaller stack that I'll have to deal with today. 3 pictures put in Memories box, 10 papers "to be shred", 2 A T & T pre-paid 1200 minute gift cards tossed (1 was expired, 1 had a zero balance on it), 7 papers put in trash, 132 papers put in recycle bag (these were very difficult!) My "Office in a Bag" is soo much lighter, now!!! CD
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Post by fluffychild on Dec 30, 2013 14:15:54 GMT -5
I just shredded 562 pieces of paper from my part time job from 2000. I also got rid of two books totalling 300 pages.
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Post by flotsam on Dec 30, 2013 14:25:31 GMT -5
Good job with clearing the office chair and tossing the magazines, Louie! Great job on your office in a bag, cando! I admire your endurance. What a great start, fluffychild! Isn't it relieving to let go of paper? On Saturday I got rid of the contents of another binder (documents for a course; don't know how many pages). No extra single papers which is okay for me because I had already achieved my goal for the week. Today I got rid of 22 papers.
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Post by iprocrastinate on Dec 30, 2013 16:18:10 GMT -5
Paper truly is m y biggest hurdle. Today I got rid of about 18 papers from a drawer and my computer desk. More to come!
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