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Post by cando on Dec 21, 2013 6:24:42 GMT -5
Great job, again, today Louie ! Here's what I did with papers: Went thru handful of papers that were in a bag "to be filed" from years 2002-2011. *3 papers put in recycle bag (these were warranty papers from something we no longer own!) *2 folders put where they go *tissue for wrapping put where it goes *filed rest of the papers -- these were mostly important papers that we don't get rid of! But no longer in a bag in my dining room!!! Re-organized big pile of papers that had spilled out of bags in the Dining Room - note this spill has been just sitting there for a couple months! Argghh!*put 1 paper & 1 catalog in the recycle bag (2012 & 2013) *tossed torn plastic bag Paid bills*6 papers "to be filed" *5 papers into recycle bag *1 paper into trash CD
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Post by JoyInAction on Dec 21, 2013 12:19:54 GMT -5
Keep up the great work Louie and cando. Little progress will pay off big time later on. Shredders are a great invention, aren't they?
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Post by JoyInAction on Dec 21, 2013 12:27:36 GMT -5
Progress ReportTime spent: | 30 minutes
| Completed: | Today's project was a box from the mountain in the bathroom. It's probably half the size of a copier paper box. Went through and separated all the personal information that was then shredded and the rest went into the bin outside. That box is empty.
| To be completed: | Nothing additional to be done from that box.
| Emotional experience: | One of the papers was a jobs want-ad section from a 1995 paper. That was just a reminder of a very difficult time in my life. And a reminder that people just deal with hills and valleys throughout life and to be grateful that God walks beside me during both the bad and good times to show me the way through. |
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Post by Louie on Dec 21, 2013 21:18:18 GMT -5
Cando - good work! you've reminded me that my bottom drawer in the kitchen is filled with warranties - must add that to the 'to do ' list Joy - Good on you for emptying the whole box!! I did 10 minutes again this morning, just finding papers to shred or toss out off the desk. The piles are steadily getting smaller!
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Post by Louie on Dec 23, 2013 1:27:21 GMT -5
OK, I must 'fess up, I am doing everything I can to avoid dealing with my days mail and my daily paper declutter - I even washed to toilet walls and tiles....demand resistance is whispering in my ear So Im going to post here, then go and put my big girl panties on and Just Do It! -will check in when it's done
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Post by toomuchstuph on Dec 23, 2013 2:30:20 GMT -5
Isn't is amazing Louie how much we can get done when we're avoiding something? I think this is called structured procrastination. I've read a few posts on it here and elsewhere out on the internetz. I often consider myself a master of this.
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Post by Louie on Dec 23, 2013 2:35:18 GMT -5
yep I find it stressful! it's taken me over an hour to deal with todays mail and all because of my previous paper procrastination. I decided to put some relaxation music on while I did it - thanks goodness I did. I had 4 letters and two parcels. I put away the contents of the parcels (sewing goodies!) and threw out the packaging. Letter #1 - phone the bank - your credit card has been cancelled - possible security problem. I phoned the bank, no money taken from account and I wanted the card cancelled, I also organised to close 5 accounts with them - yep, we changed banks six months ago - just didn't get round to closing the accounts. Letter #2 Investment info - company has changed online info site so I need to set up a new account. Go to the site and start setting it up - I need the information from the investment certificate.... oh yeah.... it's somewhere in this mountain of papers.... very tempted to give up.. I searched through piles and eventually found the paper ... go back to site and try an register, after three go's it won't accept me .. tok a deep breath....sent them an email. got a file and labelled it - put all info re this investment in that file in an EMPTY filing cabinet... Letter #3 Another investment has reinstated it's DRP plan, - need to update it online - logged in and did it. Made a file up for those papers also and put it in filing cabinet Letter #4 (... by this time I've realised it's investment letter day) ... New investment, need to set up online registration at.. yep a different site online. Fortunately I have the info needed in the letter - set up the account - made another file, labelled it and filed these papers. .... somehow it helps me having to be accountable and writing out the details... clearly I MUST deal with it daily if I am ever to conquer it, which is one of my 2014 goals. on that note its time to knock off for the day
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Post by Louie on Dec 23, 2013 2:38:49 GMT -5
hi toomuchstuph - crossposted - yes it's incredible how cleaning the toilet can suddenly become so urgent when paperwork awaits 'structured procrastination sounds good!
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Post by flotsam on Dec 23, 2013 15:13:10 GMT -5
Thank you for starting this challenge, Louie, and thanks to all who keep this thread active and get things done . I fell off the wagon repeatedly and hope the accountability here will help me to stay on track (like the WIT-thread for housekeeping). I'm counting single papers, letters and so on. I'm aiming at an average of ten sheets per day until I'll have made it through all the binders. Yes, most of my papers are organized (sort of ), but I need to purge. Today I tossed 15 papers.
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Post by cando on Dec 23, 2013 15:56:25 GMT -5
Great job to all who are fighting the paper battle. Louie -- I know how hard that was to deal with those papers that you got in the mail. Those are the type things that I have major problems with. Usually setting them aside to get to later. And, we know what happens next. Phone calls are difficult and seems like so much work to be done for 1 sheet of paper. *sigh* Sorry I didn't post yesterday or the day before. Here's what I did: Dec. 21st: Wrote 2 thank yous & mailed them, put 10 papers into recycle bag Dec. 22nd15 min. Filing papers from bag that has been sitting on top of my Buffet in the Dining Room. (stuff from bag from 2003 - 2011) - 2 to be shred, 6 papers into recycle bag15 min. shredding - 85 papers shred, 5 papers into recycle bag15 min. going thru backlog of mail (recent to about a month, ago) - 8 "to be shred", 3 into Office in a Bag, 2 coupons put where they go, 1 piece required a lot of time to read as it was important..., 6 into recycle bag15 more min. filing from the same bag that I did earlier that has been sitting on top of my Buffet in the Dining Room. (2011-2012) - 10 papers into recycle bag
CD
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Post by Louie on Dec 23, 2013 17:20:33 GMT -5
welcome flotsam! it's great to have you here & good work on getting rid of those papers. it certainly is helpful to be able to work along with each other. cando you're going great guns on the paper! This morning I made up three more labelled files and put some of the sorted papers into them and added them to the filing cabinet. also I came across this quote today “Paperwork wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for all the paper. And the work.”[/i] ? Darynda Jones
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Post by cando on Dec 24, 2013 10:10:37 GMT -5
Thanks, Louie . I love that quote! Great job organizing and filing! Yesterday, I spent 20 minutes filing from that same bag that is on top of the Buffet in my Dining Room. Years 2009 & 2011). Only put 2 papers into recycle bag. Also, went thru some recipes & managed to put 1 in recycle bag. CD
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Post by Louie on Dec 25, 2013 3:28:27 GMT -5
Good work cando we're making progress! Today I made up 9 more files, put the papers in them and put them in the filing cabinet. I tossed out two envelopes and also all the paper from christmas presents.
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Post by cando on Dec 25, 2013 13:28:11 GMT -5
Louie - Yes, we are, indeed, making progress! Yesterday, I spent 15 min. Decluttering top of Dining Room Table. Guess what's mostly on top of the Dining Room table. You guessed it!!! So, sorted papers, 2013 papers "to be filed" & 9 papers put in the recycle bag. And, that was only 15 min. worth of work on that table. (To my credit -- there is a noticeable space on the table, now). CD
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Post by Louie on Dec 25, 2013 19:26:56 GMT -5
I think the papers breed on the flat surfaces , thats good that your reclaiming the dining table! I did an hour of paperwork decluttering this morning and I have now removed about 75% of the paper clutter from my desk. A lot of it was put in the shredding pile, I filled one small trash bag and some papers were filed. I found stuff back to 2009! I watched a video on my computer while I was doing it which definitely helped me work at it for longer and reduced the anxiety.
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