Good project when stuck in the house

Sunny

Sunny

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Location
Maryland
I've embarked on a long-overdue project: revamping and reorganizing my paper files. Like most people, I have a couple of file drawers built into my desk (some people have free-standing file cabinets), and the amount of unnecessary, obsolete paper in them is incredible. Unless you are kind of a "neat freak," you probably don't regularly go through these files and just discard the older stuff that doesn't apply any more.

I just did a clean sweep; I emptied the drawers, piled everything up, and started going through each file. I now have a much more well-organized system, with the files in alphabetical order (starting with Automotive), and minus a lot of the old stuff, like all the crappola sent to me constantly by Medicare, phone numbers to call various companies which are long since obsolete, and so on. I had an entire file dedicated to my land line phone, which I gave up about 2 years ago. Some of my paperwork actually goes back 30-40 years!

I'm now looking forward to needing to find something in those files. It will relatively be a pleasure to use my new, efficient system. And I think my children will appreciate that I've done this; "some day" they would have had to deal with all that paper!
 

I can't throw out a bill. I moved into my present home in 1990. I had to downsize my files. I know this sounds weird , but I reluctantly tossed my 1972 telephone bills when I lived in NYC. That was hard to do. I moved out of NYC in 1976. Ya know that "hoarders": program? I know how they feel. You never know,, someday I'll want the telephone number of my old NYC pizza joint, which burnt down in 1970. And I won't have it. See?

Maybe you have the guts to tackle a file draw, but how about a garage, or a shed? Aha!
 

My wife has been going thru a lot of papers she has in clear plastic storage bins. The paperwork information she wants to keep, she scans on her printer, to a USB/Flash Drive on her computer. The paperwork information is then thrown away. Some shredded and other things just thrown away.

Since her and I married in early 2001, we have gotten rid of a lot of old things she had. To the Goodwill, Salvation Army, garage sales and other things just thrown away.
 
I did the same thing recently.

Now I need to move on to all of my email folders, computer files, etc...

The good thing about throwing things away is that you don't have to bother wasting time looking for things or fussing about where things are. ;)
 
Aunt Bea said:
I did the same thing recently.

Now I need to move on to all of my email folders, computer files, etc...

The good thing about throwing things away is that you don't have to bother wasting time looking for things or fussing about where things are. ;)
Click to expand...
And for me one of the bright spots of living alone is I do not have someone to fuss at me about me throwing things away ;)
 
I got rid of all paper files years ago. I hate paper -- it probably comes from having to deal with SO much paper working in law offices all my life.

It surprises people how much paper you can really get rid of. Will you ever really need that cancelled check for the electric bill from 1985? Or the receipt for the plumbing you had done five years ago? Or the tax returns from 1970?

NO. And if you really think you will, scan it in and put on a thumb drive or something. But ancient receipts and cancelled checks, just no. Shred that stuff and get rid of it.
 
Before I started travel nursing I emptied my attic and tossed a lot. With six now-grown children, it was an emotionally draining task as each toy, school paper, piece of clothing had a memory attached. Some days I was a sniveling, tearful mess but I got it done. I kept a representative assortment of each child’s stuff; the Christmas decorations are still up there too.
 

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