The KonMarie method

uk_american

In case anyone is struggling with paperwork, I actually found this one to be my best category to date. Once you get past a certain point, it's quite invigorating.

I was not as ruthless as KM. However, during my working career I have worked in 3 countries and spent enough time in each to qualify for a state pension (assuming there's any left in the pot by then). Plus company pensions and saving schemes, all together I have a patchwork collection of paperwork that will be relevant in 25 years time.

In particular as I paid into different tax systems but was not there for long-term, nor did I have roots such as property ownership, I am aware that as time goes on my footprint in a location becomes less. In a perfect world, all 3 will recognize my working history, but not willing to take that chance, so will be holding on to the proof until then.

In my job, I work in IT supporting the Human Resources department. So I hear about the person not appearing in the system who is trying to claim a pension but being denied. It is especially relevant as our company buys and sells off parts of the business, so someone who was an employee 30 years ago prior to the latest system upgrade can sometimes cause a lot of work for HR plus stress on themselves if their record is somehow 'lost'. So I want to have my latest pension statements and plan details at hand in such a scenario.

Here's my picture at halfway through. That was my 3rd box of shredding on the floor, plus an equivalent amount of non-shredding.


Here is my after in the bedroom wardrobe, above its neighbor, the printer. (Currently working on 'electrical/technology' thingies, they will live next door to the printer.) I used containers that I already had and got rid of 2 over-stretched cardboard accordion folders.


I broke things into categories and even got some colour coding going on. My thought was that, 'if I'm hit by a bus tomorrow, this stuff should be self-explanatory.' When my nan passed, it was 8 months before they could get the house and paperwork sorted. Here, it should be a morning's worth of work.

I've loosely divided into:
1. Current operational accordion file- so 1 year's worth of bank statements, utilities, the cat's vaccination card, etc.

2. Financial accordion file - anywhere that I have money (excluding banks) that someone would need to administer. While I have a will, this will make it easier to have account numbers, company details etc. at hand. I'm only keeping current statements here, shredded the past ones.

3. Individual plastic boxes hold a particular topic.

-The orange one is my US tax docs (even though I pay tax in the UK as I work here, US citizens still must file in the US, just to get the reciprocity acknowledgement that I owe nothing.) Only keeping the statutory 7 year minimum though.

-A green one is my equivalent German tax docs.

-One green one is things relating to my job, mainly system documentation. If I leave the job or we change systems, it can be easily tossed. Occasionally I need to dip into it for reference (I work from home).

-Another green one is my certificates. Mainly needed for work purposes, but I've put the important ones like my birth cert on top.

Each of these files or folders is labelled, so if someone did need to administer them, they'd see the little post-it note at the front of the certificate one telling them to save the birth certificate but bin the rest, bin the full work documentation file, etc.

It's easy to administer as it's compartmentalized. The pension ones are now organized and sorted and can go gather dust while I can easily access the current items that I need.

Hope this helps anyone stuck on the paper front.

Igamogam

Could have cheerfully kondoed a little darling from my class today but as he is only 4 and this has happened to him twice already and we are his 'last hope' he can stay. I can handle the biting kicking scratching 4 year old ..............but the vile offensive language.............:mad:

I can see that kondoing will be on the back burner for a while. I have a silly busy September ahead an cant see October being much different:( However little and often is my plan and should keep me on top of it

PollyWollyDoodle

Wow uk_american, respect! That's broadly what I've done, except I seem to have more left than you! Box files for pensions, certificates, etc that I don't need to access very often (usually twice a year to file stuff) and a ring-binder with plastic pockets for current stuff like utility bills, car documents/MoT and so on. While I found it really hard to do, it has paid off in spades - filing is easy now and I know where to find things when I need them.

I was reflecting on what GQ and others have said above about space. I think that's what MK has given me - I can barely remember what I've thrown out, most of it was hidden away anyway, but the space it's created has enabled me to find a place for the stuff I want to keep so it always has a home. It's easy to put stuff away when you know where it goes. I'm still not finished, but I have never lived like this before - and I like it!

just_the_two_of_us

Morning!


UK American - thank you - I aspire to your minimal system! - What I do have currently is all over the whole house in heaps! It doesn't help I have mine, D's and DS's pension stuff to think about and all DS's house paperwork too!


Also, as I am arranging a big event for Stand Up to Cancer Day that is impacting on the paperwork piles. - So I'll disappear now to have breakfast and face at least one of them!!

GreyQueen

Morning all.

I got back home after 9 pm last night and actually unpacked my Stuff and put away what belongs here. The Stuff for the chazzer is piled on the floor and sofa. It will leave in the next couple of days. I'd like to be outside their door when they open today, but have pre-committed to being elsewhere at 9 am and have to wait home 12-6pm for the gas engineer. Depending on when he arrives, I may or may not get to the chazzer. If not today, it'll be first thing tomorrow.

Tank overflow is widdling gently over the walkway, as seen my neighbour who rang me, but I have seen them a lot worse. Dry as a bone indoors.

The things exiting are a small drop in the ocean, compared to what is left behind, but it's more going out than coming in. When you're faced with a ridiculous amount of Stuff, the project can seem overwhelming and the temptation is to close the drawer or cupboard, shut the door on that shed or Room of Doom.

But, we are kondo-ites! We are not afraid. Well, we might be a little afraid, but we know we have support on here. If you slow to a trickle or utterly refuse to bring in new Stuff, and keep hoiking the old Stuff out, eventually you start noticing the difference.

Keep up the good work, lovely peeps. GQ xx

greenbee

Glad to hear there was no flood to greet you when you got home GQ, and congrats on the progress at your parents' house.

I managed to move the fabric back into the CoD in my office yesterday, but that's about it as I was out after work. The paintwork at the front of the house is now mostly done, so they hope to have all the windows done today and the rest on Monday. I need to spend the weekend having a major tidy-up inside as they will be back doing the bathroom, attic, plumbing and electrics next week and need access to all sorts of peculiar corners as a result. Plus I have a houseful the following weekend...

VJsmum

Morning chaps, well done all. Some sterling work going on - great guns on the decorating GQ, would love to similarly attack dads house.

So, as well as Kondoing, I am also playing Min's Game from the Minimalists. The nub and gist of which is you get rid of one thing on the first of the month (peppermint foot spray); 2 things in the second (two folders of DS GCSE work - with permission) and so on. So it got to 10 o'clock yesterday and nothing had gone. Quick! Open that random drawer - ah ha! A video of the space shuttle (WHat the f erm heck?), some random bit of clay one of the kids did as an "ornament" at primary school and, erm, do you know what? I can't even remember the third . I think I am going to struggle when I get to the end of the month - it may come down to individual pens or bits of paper. But out is out, right? Especially as I am continuing the Kondoing alongside.

Today I need to finish the paint job in DDs room - chest of drawers needs another coat, as do bookcases. Then she can unpack for the remainder of the summer.

The other day I painted our tea, coffee and utensil canisters. Didn't like them, they didn't match (not massively into matching, but these were really not matched) and I didn't like them. Now they are all blue and saves buying new ones. Honestly, no one dare stay still in this house or they will get painted :rotfl:

choose_wisely

Good morning everyone.

Thanks for all the inspiration to keep going, albeit slowly for me.

DD2 has relocated a distance of 250 miles, from 250 miles south east of home to 150 miles north east of home. This was the weekend where we packed and loaded a van in 29 degrees and as we headed north encountered the most spectacular thunderstorms I have ever seen. The van was not watertight however, but the memory foam mattress soaked up so much water that it probably saved much of the contents from more damage.

Yesterday I was able to get 3 bags of books, 3 bags of clothes and 6 pairs of shoes that she had sorted out several weeks ago from the stuff she still had at my house to the charity shop.

I had originally put it out in a bag for collection, but discovered that the charity got only 20GBP a tonne, so brought it back in.

The same cull had produced 2 bags of clothing and 13 pairs of shoes not suitable for resale and these had left the house earlier.

Today's job is to redo the cupboard under the sink. The temporary repair to the flat roof has failed and water has got down the back of it. I emptied it yesterday, so hopefully it is dry enough to put things (not everything) back this morning. Starting with the ironing though, which I hate.

GreyQueen

It seems that my decorating their hall may be the cause of some other decorating being done; the pristine white emulsion on the walls has made the white gloss look very yellowish, and it has quite a few dings. Plus wear and tear from hands on the bannister rail has rubbed off some of the paint there.

I was itching to get at the gloss work, but I do have to live my own life. It's about 20 years since I rubbed down and repainted all their internal doors and door frames and left them perfect. They're still pretty good but the wings and dings caused by life in a small house are dragging it down a bit. I have left my destructions.............:rotfl:

I plan to do some decorating at my flat but am holding fire as I will be having electical upgrade work done at some point in the next 6 months and want to do the decorating after, not before.My philosophy on decoration is to use neutrals, do it well and do it seldom.

Love the idea of VJsMum painting anyone who stands still too long at her house. I always joke if you loiter around me you're in danger of being recycled.

I have also decided that the little pedal bin in the bathroom can go. Might sound trivial, but the bathroom is silly small, I don't use it, it just catches dust and fluff and becomes something I have to move to clean other things, and then clean it, too. Adding work without serving any purpose - here's your card, pal.

The chazzer won't know what hit it, this week.

mrs-moneypenny

Morning all
Hope everyone is as well as can be.
Glad the flood wasn't as bad as feared GQ
Kondoed a gift voucher last night, we went out for a lovely meal with DD3 and her fiancee. This morning I've kondoed 17 non working or ugly with scratchy writing biros from the pen pot and the toaster went on its way to recycling land.
Not sure what will get done today.