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Post by CaringFriend on Feb 12, 2015 12:52:37 GMT -5
I just had to share this with all of the posters who are going to another location to take care of bills/paperwork and also those who want to. I noticed that my supermarket has a cozy spot located just inside the entrance. It is beside the coffee shop. This cozy spot looks like a family room seen in many homes with its fireplace, comfortable seating arrangements, and attractive tables. I've seen people playing checkers, cards, and other games, reading a book, using laptops and/or doing paperwork. I can't help but think how nice to settle for a 1/2 hour or so to tackle a list or just to mellow out before going about your grocery shopping.
Decades ago, when my son was a toddler, I took him to a nearby state park for a weekday afternoon. While there, I saw a gentleman sitting at a picnic table with paperwork spread out before him. This was before the computer age. I assumed he was a salesman or a businessman of some type as he had removed his suit jacket and placed it on the bench beside him. I thought "What a brilliant man!" He had no office distractions, but he did have chirping birds, a gentle breeze, and the warmth of the sunshine. I bet he accomplished a lot that afternoon!
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Post by cando on Feb 12, 2015 13:18:59 GMT -5
I used to study at the park when I was in college. Loved that! So peaceful next to a lake, etc. Yesterday: While decluttering Dining Room Table: Put 1 coupon where I keep them.
Put 7 papers into recycle bag
2 papers “to be shred”
Spent 15 min. going thru mail: Put coupons where they go. 1 paper “to be shred”
37 papers into recycle bag
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Post by angela on Feb 20, 2015 1:37:49 GMT -5
Dropped my Paperwork with Andy Hour pretty quickly Took a big swipe at it today. Opened all mail. Filed the remnants of the paper pile that came off the side table in the sitting room Put my working pile in some priority order. Checked into the IRS website... I can hardly say out loud what stupidities I have created with my taxes and creditors. It is so horribly ugly. So I am counting what I did today as working on my trauma corner, tackling an ick, and dealing with some paper clutter. I will need to spend many, many hours at my desk to make progress on this part of my squalor. Day at a time.
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Post by lostchild on Feb 21, 2015 1:45:32 GMT -5
Took paperwork in to prove lack of income because they keep trying to count my child support and daughter's SSI as taxable countable income. Under California law its not so I qualify for medi-cal. Should have insurance by March. Mailed paperwork to transfer policy for son. Sorted pile of paperwork to mail to IRS. Just needs signatures.
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Post by angela on Feb 23, 2015 0:19:23 GMT -5
Deleted many e-mails today. Have about 1,000 more to go through, mostly an e-mail list that I belong to.
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Post by Irisheyes on Feb 23, 2015 6:10:58 GMT -5
Hi, paper people! I am not really ready to be here, posting paperwork accountability where others can see it. I may set off a huge bout of resistance and avoidance, but I am going to do it anyway. I don't want to. I really don't want to. Ugh. In the past few weeks, I have emptied out many boxes and plowed through several stacks of paperwork and sorted them into alphabetical stacks. While doing so, I've thrown away the highest level of obvious junk mail (grocery fliers, expired coupons that came as newspaper inserts, old catalogs and sales pamphlets from years past, etc.). I've thrown away the equivalent of 2 large kitchen trashcans full of nothing but junk paperwork. Ridiculous, to have had this junk taking up valuable space in my house - and in my head because of its contribution to the clutter that is weighing me down and interfering with so many things. I also put magazines and newspapers in stacks together by type, and made separate stacks for the kids school stuff, random envelopes of photos that somehow found their way into boxes. Most magazines are not mine. I'll address these later with dso when he returns from travel. I've also set up a temporary office area complete with very small desk, lighting, laptop, printer, file cabinets, some office supplies, medium sized trash can (8-10 gal?) for paper trash, shredder, bookshelves, etc. This may become a permanent office area because it is more centrally located to the kitchen, dining and living areas. I like it here better than in the back of the house in a small room apart from where most of our lives are lived. I don't know how many boxes I've emptied...12-14 perhaps? Some were fairly large, a few were boot box size. I still have an unknown number of paperwork boxes to bring to this area and sort to the alpha stacks. I've sorted about the same number of loose stacks of paperwork collected from here and there in the house. These stacks ranged from approximately 3-12 inches deep. Who needs this much paperwork?! Not me. AND I've pulled out my old file folders and hanging files from my cabinets (I think some may remain in the big desk in another room, but it's blocked by more boxes of paperwork). I am going to order these in some fashion so I can consolidate duplicate folders. I am working on establishing a system for current/active files that need action (bills, to-do, follow-up, etc.); relatively recent files to keep for ready reference (medical, tax info, warranties, appliance manuals, etc.); and historical/archived files of things I can't take the time to go through right now. My primary focus needs to be addressing new mail coming in, getting the bills paid, setting up a budget and system to stay on top of this, and not getting too distracted by the backlog. I am struggling with this, but this is what I plan to do in the next few days: Open and read all unopened mail since the beginning of the year. Coordinate with dso to get info for bank accounts, online bill pay, etc., all in one place we both can access. Pay all monthly and cyclic bills that are due. Post progress updates to this thread every day, even if I have made little progress. Establish a formal budget. (I think I will cry, mostly happy tears, when I have this in my life again!!!) angela - I could've written this that you posted here on Feb 20: "I can hardly say out loud what stupidities I have created with my taxes and creditors. It is so horribly ugly. So I am counting what I did today as working on my trauma corner, tackling an ick, and dealing with some paper clutter. I will need to spend many, many hours at my desk to make progress on this part of my squalor. Day at a time." Hugs to everybody. I promise to come back and post some "atta gals and guys" after I get over my shock at posting here. I want to read more of what everyone is posting, but will limit it to a few posts at any one time (I can get distracted reading posts). Meanwhile, know I am thinking of you, am impressed by your hard work (because I KNOW how hard this is), and am cheering you on!!! I apologize for my lengthy first post, but thought it might help if I had some sort of an intro here about where I am and what I am doing/planning.
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Post by cando on Feb 23, 2015 14:36:37 GMT -5
Irisheyes -- I am soo glad you are here! Wow! You've already done tons!!! I have tons to do... and keep skipping way too many days. Since I last posted... I have paid more bills and tossed some more papers. Not nearly enough! But, one thing good.... I went and retrieved my shredder from the mini storage and 2013 & 2014 Tax boxes. Ya know.. what's coming up & some here have already done them! Yikes! I will agree to try & make it here everyday with you, Irisheyes and anyone else... even if I haven't done anything... CD
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Post by angela on Feb 23, 2015 15:43:34 GMT -5
Irisheyes you have already done great with your macro sorting project. That is a huge first step, just seeing what you've got to work through. I followed a similar path with my set-up. I hadn't had a working space to deal with paperwork in several years so I made it a priority to set up a desk area and a small filing system for current paperwork needs. Now I am working through the most recent back-log, things that need doing before they become problems. Then on to addressing the past financial wreckage. Right now it is mostly sleeping but still needs cleaned up, especially IRS stuff, that scares the c**p out of me! But hey, they're just people too and I am for sure not the only person who does this sort of thing so I am becoming more confident that I CAN do what is necessary to clean stuff up. I bought Quicken for my ongoing book-keeping and have been fairly good about keeping things current. It helps that I actually really enjoy book-keeping. My addiction to vagueness gets in the way though and I am working on that with some help from the DA Program, though I am no poster child for financial recovery. I can tell you this irisheyes, once I really culled out all the excess paper, all the actual pieces of paper that are not relevant in whatever way, I really do not have an infinite number of financial projects to do. It is really more like a dozen. A big dozen, but nonetheless, there is an end to it if I actually work through it. cando, well done getting your shredder and the tax boxes. I need to join you on getting these done too. I have it all organized and ready to fill out the forms.
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Post by Irisheyes on Feb 23, 2015 15:57:53 GMT -5
cando! Paying bills is a biggie. It's a toss-up to me whether it's bigger than tossing papers, but yea you for your mini pitch party!!! Taxes. Thanks for the kudos. It's crazy-making how I can do (snicker!) so much, and yet it looks as though I only took out a dropperful of sludge from the slime bucket. Skipping days (and weeks, months, years) is what's put us in this sticky situation. It's a deal! I'll be back here with you every day. I've decided it's enough to "justify" a daily post even if all I do is touch the incoming mail or throw away a advertising flyer. Some days, I'm sad to say, that is a real accomplishment. We shouldn't look at that as nothing. I say we count it. You good with that? Hopefully, posting that I/we touched or tossed even one thing will incite me/you to open it, maybe read it, perhaps even DO SOMETHING with it. (Where is the "fingers crossed" emoji?!)
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Post by Irisheyes on Feb 23, 2015 16:16:12 GMT -5
Oh, angela! Yes, I saw your nice work space in your video. That setup gave me the idea to move this little vanity desk to our family room to work instead of being sequestered in a remote part of the house. Hmmm, the house is fairly small and compact, just in a weird "L" shape, so "remote" isn't far removed from the main daytime/evening living areas, but I'm finding I like it soooo much better and I am actually working on things off and on throughout the day. Thank you very much for that inspiration!!! I had Quicken many, many years ago, but never truly put it to use. It's been over a decade since I touched that old computer that has it installed. I didn't want to spend anything right now for the new version, but I downloaded GnuCash today (freeware with great reviews). Spent some time reading how to use it, but haven't made an entry yet. I'm hoping to finish reading the manual today, then make a few test entries with the bills freshly freed from their envelopes. Yes, I've actually opened a couple bills today. Eek. Breathe. I can do this. I can do this. I am going back to that as soon as I finish my online time. Will it sound condescending if I say I am proud of you, Angela? And of everyone else here who is taking baby steps, or full-out running at handling paperwork? Dealing with backlog plus emotional baggage makes mail and bills and taxes and general paperwork so.... There isn't one word to describe the myriad feelings associated with this. "Huge" may be the closest I can come. I'm just happy I'm not 100% stuck anymore. I'll take where I'm at, and it feels as if I'm functioning at about 45-55% effectiveness with the paperwork big picture. I'll take it for now!
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Post by cando on Feb 24, 2015 4:30:46 GMT -5
Checking back in for yesterday, 2/23/2015 -- I went thru some mail that was on my Dining Room Table. Put 12 papers into the recycle bag CD
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Post by Irisheyes on Feb 24, 2015 5:56:39 GMT -5
Great job with mail & recycling, cando! I've opened a few more pieces of mail since last posting, and properly placed most of our remaining hardback books on a different, relocated bookshelf. I'm back at it this morning. Time to open the mail!
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Post by angela on Feb 24, 2015 17:46:49 GMT -5
cando and Irisheyes. I too got the mail open yesterday though most of it were important looking envelopes from the state agencies and from the unemployment division. Also another medical bill for DH which I tossed on the ever growing stack. Must deal with that whole deal soon. Irisheyes, I used Quicken for years and years then when my old computer when kaput I lost access to it. So I think, like you, it has been a decade since I had use of it. This new Quicken is different than the old and I'm still getting used to it but it is adequate and familiar enough. I'm proud of YOU too Irisheyes. You say you're not ready but you have made some movements. That is indeed HUGE.
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Post by Irisheyes on Feb 24, 2015 19:05:51 GMT -5
angela - Yea, for getting the mail open yesterday! Hugs for having dh's medical bills looming. Oh! I hope you got good news from the State agency and Unemployment Office! I think GnuCash may be too elaborate for what I need right now. I think I would be best served by an electronic check register that has additional fields where I can make notes about each entry/account/bill. Thanks for saying you're proud of me. I really have made a little progress, and that is indeed huge compared to the evidence of all I haven't done for so long, but I still am wiggy about the posting accountability aspect. Apparently, dahling, I have resistance issues, among other things. You're quite correct - WE CAN do this together! Thank goodness! cando - I can't do the dancing banana from my phone (yet?), but he's doing the Cha-Cha in your honor! I wish we had a recycling area nearby, but I know Mother Nature does a good job breaking down paper, so I don't stress too much over that. Even most metal oxidize and break down relatively quickly, so I try not to get too worried about tossing that. Putting plastics in the trash bin really bothers me. They barely disintegrate after decades of exposure, and are so dangerous to wildlife who frequent the dumps/landfills. Thanks for being my posting buddy here. That helps, and means a lot to me. Hugs!
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Post by cando on Feb 25, 2015 12:58:52 GMT -5
angela -- Great job with opening the mail! lostchild -- Incredibly awesome job you've been doing on paperwork!!!! Fantastic on doing a tax return!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also, on mailing paperwork re: your DS and on sorting IRS paperwork!!! Woot! Woot! Irisheyes -- I have trouble staying accountable on a daily basis, too. But, ya know... I need to keep at it! I need to do it daily... even one piece of paper being dealt with! I need to keep paperwork/decluttering papers as one of the items forefront on my mind just like dieting. So thank you for helping me stay accountable, here!!!! As far as recycling... I don't do as much as many others around here, I'm sure. But, the paper/glass/plastic bottles/food cans gets picked up every other week, here. All I have to do is take to the end of my driveway & put it in the bin that the city provides & scoot it out for pick up in time. So, it is easy for me to do these things. Also, when I say papers that I've put in recycle bag... there are usually magazines and/or catalogs included in my papers count. You don't have to count but it helps me somehow to count them. I know... weird. BTW, Great job with the books & with opening mail! I have gotten rid of quite a bit of papers in the last year, especially. But there are tons more!!!!! I need to really get to them but always seem to find other things to do... Anyway... here's my update for yesterday: Looked over billsPaid 2 billsWent thru some mail that is on Dining Room TablePut 20 papers/catalogs into recycle bagWent to post office & went inside & put the 2 bill payments in the slot there even though I missed the day's pick up. It will go out first thing this morning.Looked into sending in paperwork re: DH's parking ticket... found out he has to contest it, first, on line. He thought we just send the evidence in....
Have a great day, everyone!!! CD
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