Suggestions on organizing papers (bills, letters etc.) for a clean home office

[John Shepard]

Hi All,

One of the reasons I constantly have to clean my home office is due to the volume of mail (bills etc) and important correspondence (e.g., Health Insurance docs) that generate a lot of paper trails.

Additionally, I have a lot of paper items from work that I need to keep organized.

I was thinking of getting some cheap shelves but those look ugly and impractical (everything lies exposed, gathering dust etc).

I would appreciate any feedback as to what works for people vs. doesn't work.

Thanks!

[CDC]

I'd look into an inexpensive scanner - it's cut way down on the pieces of paper floating around my office.

- Cindy

[Mrs Bonk]

hello John. I have shelves in my bedroom and I keep these boxes on them full of photo's and paperwork

are pink and I have two large ones. They also have small ones. I think they look super. One can also buy box files to match. just the ticket!

[val189]

What works for me:

a four tier plastic tray organizer. top layer : bills to be paid, calls to be made. corresp. to answer..

2nd layer: pending file - stuff which needs further followup. I write the flwp date in red in upper left corner, and review it once a week. 3rd layer: info I want to keep handy for imminent task e.g. info on the guy who fixes something, next time I'm in his area. 4th bin: stuff to be filed. I try to empty this at least once a week.

Hanging files in desk drawer for stuff I file into at least once a month. PUrge this yearly.

Then, stuff I still wish to keep goes into archives cabinet - stuff I might need in future. PUrge this on rainy days. Also, this cabinet has files I go into maybe ev. 6 months e.g. insurance.

[John Shepard]

Interesting. I was thinking and I think if I had to name one culprit, I would say that things that I have to archive for a long time (i.e., over

6 months) tend to be the worst offenders.

You made me smile with your 'rainy day' suggestion. I live in the desert and we sometimes don't see rain for many many months.. sometimes it 'rains' but evaporates before a single drop hits the ground. Does that count? :)

[John Shepard]

Mine are pink and I have two large ones.

Interesting, but I tend to have a pack rat gene that kicks in ... and before you know, I'll have 14 of these stacked up :) Thanks!

[John Shepard]

Thanks! great suggestion (which I am going to start doing now).

[val189]

Maybe what you need are more filing cabinets and hanging folders. Or reassess the need for hanging onto this stuff. Maybe time for a review and a recycling project. Watch out for identifying things like date of birth etc.

I faced a two foot pile of paper financial statments once time - had broken two shredders already - so allotted ten minutes a day and a pair of scissors. It got done and now I shred (manually) on a daily basis as I supersede various items. It's all a part of processing the mail.

So, what's your equivalent of a day stuck inside?

I live in the desert

[Denominator]

The dollar store sells sets of three plastic 8-1/2 x 11" drawers. The sets can be stacked. I keep one on my desk for incoming bills, etc.

When I take care of a bill, I put it in a tabletop box of hanging file folders. Periodically I'll staple a set of paid bills together, such as a year's worth of gas bills, and move them to a filing cabinet.

[Victoria Sunsshhine]

john shepard

i just saw a spring break idea for travel and vacation,; it listed Death Valley as a National Park...

i am still thinking about that. what could you do there? get a tan? fry things without matches.

3,000 acres is alot of room to