Drowning in paperwork

hot.chick

Morning guys...

I know I've asked this b4, so sorry for the repetition..

But how do you guys deal with paper work.. what ur system.. how often do you file it all?

I have piles ofit everywhere and would love to be able too 1. not look at it every time I go in the kitchen & 2. put my hand straight on important documents when I need too!

I know U'll all have some fab ideas that I'll be able to adopt!

Thanks in advance

Hot x

looby-loo_2

Hi, I know exactly what you mean. I've a pile on my window sill - junk mail and important stuff all mixed up. Another by my chair. Total must be at least 2' high.

Yesterday I asked my daughter to sort it into 'junk', 'letters that look important' and 'other'. It took her nearly 3 hours but at least I can deal with important stuff now. (and yes, I paid her too!)

hot.chick

Well done you...

I was thinking of some sort of plastic wallet system? I am quite good at chucking the junk mail.. so all of the stuff in my piles is statments, letters from banks, new documents etc...

How long should u keep this kind of stuff for?

Could I just shred the lot?

I'm getting quite harsh with my clutter, and the bin has been emptied a couple of time over the weekend,.. normally done once a week at most.. I'm on the de clutter rampage!!!

Soooo loving the flying!!!!

x

~Chameleon~

Wilkinsons sell a great expanding folder with about 20 separate compartments in it for just £2.49!!! I've got 2, one for financial stuff and one for important personal documents, and they are great.

Paperwork used to be a nightmare for me too with huge piles of it everywhere that I sorted every 6mths or so, but since getting these it's much easier to deal with and either gets filed, shredded or recycled almost as soon as it arrives

donny-gal

I know what you mean, I left mine longer than I should as I knew I was finishing work and would tackle it then, which I have (but changing circumstances made a load of extra too!).

Mine is is various files and folders, yes plural, but it is 30 odd years worth! No cos I've thrown some away, but if in doubt, YKWIM! Its fine for what I have allocated a space for, but it is the bits that do not fall into an actual category:mad: :mad:. Some are in wide 4 hole folder with an index in to split them up, others in proper filing cases, and some in just the box files, usually while waiting for me to decide how to file them!

I am starting to scan mine so I can just keep the most recent, but taking a tip from someone else on the OS thread (sorry can't remember who) I am starting by scanning the new stuff as going back over the years was just bogging me down. I also just put a dab of blue highlighter in the corner once scanned so I know what has been done.

Some of the one line banks allow you to download the statements in .pdf format which saves the scanning.

Good Luck, I will be back at my odds and sods trying to sort them today!
DG

sianb84

I have a ring binder which has dividers in to divide it all up into appropriate sections. I find this works really well as I can find things quickly when I need to.

I try to catch up on paperwork when I watch tv or during the ad breaks.

emmie1234

HIya,

I've got one of those lever arch files with about 30 dividers in it. Everything that comes in, if not dealt with straight away goes in a small wicker basket on top of my fridge, then once dealt with it goes in the folder.

Got loads of sections, like

electric
gas
water
c. tax
rent
BT
Sky

etc

I try and deal with school paperwork straight away and get it sent back to school.
If I have appointment letters for dentist, hospital etc, I write the date down in my diary and then fold the letter and leave it on that page so I can take the letter with me when I need to go. The letter you get from school with the term dates on goes in my diary too. Junk mail goes in the bin - the day it comes and I chuck out all the used envelopes too.

I've got an old biscuit tin that I keep all important stuff in like certficates, tax documents, insurance etc.

Normally on a Friday or Saturday I go through the basket and if there is anything left in there that I haven't dealt with, I sort it out and then file it so the basket's empty for the following week.

I've only been doing this for a month or so and its made a big difference.
I used to be terrible with paperwork and could never find anything when I needed to find something quickly lol.

HTH

Regards
Em

savingpennies

I use lever arch files with dividers: one for utilities, one for insurances, etc. this way they are easy to access and easy to file away. They stand on top of a cupboard with a basket at the side for incoming mail which is sorted once a week. I used to just have a basket but I got into such a mess that I could never find anything.

Eels100

I can sympathise - I too am the world's worst when it comes to looking after paperwork.

When the mail arrives it always lands on the kitchen table in a heap. Junk gets put in the recycling box and vouchers or bills etc get put in the letter rack.

Upstairs I have a magazine file - all stuff to be filed gets put in here. Once in a while I sort through it and put it all into a lever arch folder which has dividers. I have one folder for house/insurance stuff, one for bills and bank things, and one for work/professional correspondence. I also have a second magazine file into which I put instruction manuals/guarantees/receipts - this has been a major step forward, now I know how things work because I can lay my hands on the instructions!

moanymoany

You need:
pile of empty old big envelopes
cardboard box they will stand up in
black marker pen
carrier bag
shredder

Sit at a totally clear table with music or fave tv prog going

put the papers to one side and the envelopes on the other

Mark one envelope URGENT Every time you come across something that needs attention right away put it in this envelope.

One at a time get a bit of paper and decide if you need it.

if yes - take an envelope and write the category on it with the pen e.g. credit card - then put it in the box.

if no - shred unless real junk and recycle whole in carrier

continue until all papers are in envelopes.

The box will be your filing cabinet and everything will be easy to find. The urgent stuff can be dealt with.

As you deal with stuff write on the paper date/time/cheque number/person spoke to/phone numbers.

From this system you can go on to other more sophisticated systems. Keep this box where you can get to it as the post comes in. As you open the post you put the letters in the urgent envelope to deal with or the correct envelope. Keep a few empty envelopes at the back.

It works, but the first steps are not easy and will take time. However, there is no way around it, you grasp the nettle and sort it out or it continues to pile up and create bigger problems.;)

hot.chick

moanymoany - thank you so much - that sounds like a simple step by step guide to making a good start!!!

Thanks to everyone for letting me know I'm not alone in my inability to be on top of things...

I think plastic walets - clear ones so I can see what things are - lables - an archive box and a black marker

Watch out paperwork here I come

x