mssherlock
New Member
Joined: April 2015
Posts: 48
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Post by mssherlock on May 17, 2015 12:31:41 GMT -5
Man, I haven't even touched it. I did have my son's birthday and a couple of days of stomach flu, but I should really delve some today.
I did notice something about this box. One of the top piles is the funeral stuff from my brother-in-law's funeral. He died really tragically (he was 31) and when I look at this box I see his smiling face which reminds me of sadness. I wonder if I have neglected this box because of wanting to not face the sadness again? Maybe I haven't really processed his death at all so I don't know how to process this paperwork. I should scrapbook it right now. Even just a quick page.
Do any of you find that you neglect paperwork that has really emotionally negative strings attatched?
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Post by papermoon on May 17, 2015 13:41:40 GMT -5
mssherlock, I continually put those emotionally laden papers aside. Once in a while I've tried to organize death files, but it's so hard and I only get a little done. However, every tiny bit helps. I did an hour's worth of work on papers yesterday. Nothing thrilling, just ordinary misc. stuff... sorting, shredding, recycling.
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mssherlock
New Member
Joined: April 2015
Posts: 48
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Post by mssherlock on May 17, 2015 14:41:10 GMT -5
I don't have a death file but I do have files for mom's side of the family, dad's side and a friends file. I stuck the death stuff on a 12x12 cardstock and put it in the tote of current scrapbooking papers to finish on Wednesday (I meet with a group for quick scrapping). Well, 1.3 soundtracks later I am happy to report that this is what's left of the last box. Woo hoo! There was SO much blank paper in there, guys. An empty composition notebook and 3 packages of blank index cards -_-. Most random thing I found? A toy storm trooper helmet. Best thing I found? Some currency from 1846.
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Post by papermoon on May 17, 2015 23:10:35 GMT -5
I did another hour's worth of misc. sorting, shredding, and recycling. Just 3 more ounces and I'll have another 5-pound bag to lob down the recycling chute.
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Post by lostchild on May 17, 2015 23:59:26 GMT -5
Finished three hours of paperwork and still didn't find what I was looking for...frustrating! Need file cabinet!
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Post by angela on May 18, 2015 1:05:42 GMT -5
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mssherlock
New Member
Joined: April 2015
Posts: 48
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Post by mssherlock on May 19, 2015 7:58:37 GMT -5
well done everyone! Lots of paper sorting/tossing this week sorry you couldn't find your paperwork, lostchild
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Post by desi on May 19, 2015 8:01:36 GMT -5
I am drowning in books here. I commit to picking out and throwing away five soft cover books. To be continued...
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Post by angela on May 19, 2015 13:19:20 GMT -5
You can do it desi. I went through owner manuals and pulled out a box worth's of paper to go away. The next box is full of really old financial papers like 20 year old tax returns and student loan documents. I think I need to spend some time this week getting current on my bank account reconciliation and entering receipts into Quicken. Right now the receipts are contained in their basket but the basket is pretty full.
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Post by angela on May 19, 2015 13:22:07 GMT -5
mssherlock I understand what you're going through with the emotional paperwork. I have a stack of mail related to DH and his illness and death that I haven't opened. I need to be strong and at least open the mail.
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Post by desi on May 20, 2015 14:53:55 GMT -5
I threw out 16 paperback books and while sorting them out I realized that I won't miss a single one of them. Feels so good and I really needed the empty space in my bookshelf - I have had a stack of books on the floor for months. Now it's gone!
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Post by papermoon on May 20, 2015 16:38:31 GMT -5
I did an hour's worth of work sorting a scrambled mess of banking papers from 2004-2014. Unfortunately, I need to hang on to the oldest ones, for filing my delinquent taxes for those years. I put them in chrono order, tossed a few, and shredded a few.
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mssherlock
New Member
Joined: April 2015
Posts: 48
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Post by mssherlock on May 20, 2015 17:42:02 GMT -5
mssherlock I understand what you're going through with the emotional paperwork. I have a stack of mail related to DH and his illness and death that I haven't opened. I need to be strong and at least open the mail. Wow, that's a tough one. :-XHugs and good luck! And wow on everyone's cleaning/sorting/tossing
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momofacutie
New Member
I'm also under the user name Alexandra. :)
Joined: August 2013
Posts: 36
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Post by momofacutie on May 21, 2015 8:23:04 GMT -5
I've managed to get rid of a LOT of paper clutter in the nearly-3 years I've lived in this apartment.
I have containers--papers to file (bank account information, my son's SSI info, and the like) and papers to shred. Anything with an account number goes into the shred container. Seems I can only run the shredder so long before it has to cool down.
I have to get a new set of file folders and the like, so in the meantime what I have to file will just be in that one container. And some places have free shredding on whatever dates.
One thing I've done--on credit card accounts I go paperless, since I pay online anyway. I know when everything's due, I have a notebook with the monthly budget, due dates, and the like next to my computer. That cuts down on paper clutter.
Junk mail--go through it briefly right when you get it, then toss it, don't let it sit around.
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Post by papermoon on May 21, 2015 15:50:15 GMT -5
momofacutie, I agree... that's the best way to handle junk mail. I'm lucky to have a recycling bin in our downstairs mailbox lobby. so I can sort and toss the junk right there. It never gets through my front door. Today I did another hour of work on misc. banking papers, from 2001-2015. It went pretty well. I'm trying to make this a daily habit on afternoons when I'm at home. Actually, early afternoon, from 12 noon to 1pm, before I have lunch. I like getting it over with early before other distractions grab me.
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