Do many of you try to keep things organized?

Widow of Vietnam Vet

Widow of Vietnam Vet

Member
Location
Cohocton NY
I have plenty of file folders where I keep my real estate Tax bills, my will, my car info, a burial deed, my IRS stuff, instructions for my coffee maker, hot tub, propane stove,, etc etc as well as any warranties.

I also have a Spring/Fall maintenance list for my home-how to hook up and unhook the hoses, when to refresh the soil in my deck planter containers, when to defrost my freezer, stuff like that....when the closest veg and flower sets plant market opens- every year it is a different day depending on the weather,
stuff like that.....

And I checked my Car folder this AM to see when I last bought a new battery -April 2021- so I think it still has life.

I also to have have my tools well organized, and make sure I always have nails and screws, and staples , fluorescent tape, and duck tape

I also have a list of grocery needs ,and I made the list to conform to the aisle set up at the local ( 20 plus miles away) food store.
It contains all the basic staples I need, as well as what veggies and meat/fish ,dairy stuff I like. etc.

However I buy all my cleaning products and toilet paper, paper towels etc at the local dollar store, much cheaper there.

But all of above can be a Big PITA! Yet it gives me piece of mind knowing there is always something around here to do-

But sometimes I don't want to do anything! I think that is OK too!

I am sure far from perfect !!!!!- Yesterday I made tomato sauce and braciole and found I had NO canned tomato sauce at all-it is one of my many staple provisions, so I had to use a can of stewed tomatoes, and pureed them in a blender first, and the sauce was Delicious.
 

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I’m extremely organized and everything is on my calendar such as changing the filters for my blower, air cleaner, etc. I also have everything organized into folders so I can find the information I need. I have a death packet for my kids so it will be easy when I am gone. I have a notebook where everything I need to do is listed with dates.
 
No..not really all that organised tbh.

I have many folder and box files where all the paperwork is stored... I just don't trust to have them only on my computer...

I have a Outside brick shed... for tools and garden stuff.. with a chest freezer in it

My barn has a wall to wall Workbench on it , and in the shelves below there are large boxes clearly marked with the contents... and also in there is a larder freezer, and shelves for dried and canned goods

My shoes and boots are all stored away on shelves in 7 foot cabinet...

.. and all my bedding, and various items.. are stored under my Ottoman storage bed...

...but I still don't think I'm organised at all
 
As someone with a hardware electronic engineering career for decades, especially computers, was up to my neck in ridiculous amounts of books, documents, software code, user guides, that also fully spread into organizing aspects of my private life. And as a long time landscape photographer, had large numbers of location books, guides, gear guides, and files on my body of work.

After retirement, I eventually tossed dumpster fulls of stuff that filled my residence. But still have thousands of computer files on media that require periodic attention and organization lest items become lost like needles in haystacks. As well as stacks of office hanging file folder crates of organized papers.

Have enormous Excel files I still use for a wide range of organization and math purposes. For instance, for my mp3 player I've recorded 220 legal analog songs with, using audacity for which I have spread sheets for all the metadata, lyrics, time lengths, playlists, etc.
 
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Well... Not as organized as my wife is. She's good with household records, recipes, her desk, arranging things in the, kitchen cupboard & cabinets, pantry, fridge & freezer. Keeps the receipts that are relevant for our income tax returns. (But she has more clothing & shoes than I'll ever understand.)

I've got well-organized shop areas, filing cabinet in my office, compact sections of my own clothes, coats and shoes. I keep equipment manuals & warranty records. But for instance, my office goes in & out of control!

Our outdoor shed has a lumber rack, table saw, garden tools, trash & recycling barrels, winter firewood supply... well, I clean & tidy it in spring, but it's slowly downhill after that until the following spring.
 
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It is a good practice to when you buy something that comes with printed directions to write the date on those directions. We bought our condo and the previous owner had dated the water heater. Water heaters are rated to last 10 or so years. Ours was 17 years old! I decided to have it replaced before it was a problem.
 
I'm more organized than I realized. All my dr.'s appt are written down on my calendar. Lists are everywhere, some for food, things to do daily, calls that need to be made.
And, of course folders for each doctor I have, health care stuff, my car, recipes....and on and on.

I used to have a stand alone file cabinet ( a small one) but it's outside in my garage now for some reason.
 

Do many of you try to keep things organized?​


I'm OCD nuts with being organized
I know where every tool is in my shop

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Every important document in my files by category (vehicle maint, etc)
(most important, like our will, birth certs, passports, and titles to things, are in the fire safe)

And being OCD organized has become a HUGE benefit since going blind
 
No way am I as organized as Widow of Vietnan Vet. I used to have piles of receipts, paid bills, etc. I still had telephone bills from 1972 in 1992, that I hated to throw out; I didn't have the space. But now, most of that is automatically on my computer. I haven't used those paper folders in years. It's hard for me to throw out paper. I have my tax returns back to 1984- just in case.
 
Yes, I'm organised. Everything always has it's place and it irritates me if, on the odd occasion, I forget to put stuff in the right place asap.
When the day arrives and I become disorganised, I know I'm heading for the scrap heap.

I've a filing cabinet for important documents etc. and always have two calendars for the new year ahead. One's a cheapy one I buy to note down birthdays/dates when things need renewing like insurances/MOT etc.
The other is one my daughter and SIL get printed off every year of their photos on their travels that year, plus their gorgeous doggywoggy in various poses.. I just can't bring myself to deface that one. :D
 
Well I have a drawer in the kitchen that I throw all the manuals into, and a drawer in the desk in the bedroom where I think I will be throwing tax documents (only got one 1099 so far - from Social Security - and that is what I decided to do with it).

Otherwise I'm sadly disorganized
 
Fuzzybuddy I can relate to what you said-as I still have over 30 years of RE tax bills and code officer building permits, and all my IRS stuff.
So, am I really organized, or do I really fear I might need some document from decades ago-
And Quackers, I can relate to you as well.

I put one of my favorite sweaters, about a month ago into a better place to find it in, and spent a lot of time the other day looking for it. It was exactly where I had put it, so I wouldn't need to hunt it down.:cautious:

I collected lots of file folders when I worked with veterans. I always tell vets to 'keep any letter you get from the VA'.
Some local vets, over the years, asked me to keep a file for them, with VA correspondence and to include copies of their DD 214-215, so they would always know where they were. Every file has a clearly tabbed name and contents note on it.

But I noticed that when I had to retrieve something important, for them or for me, (I have an enormous VA file myself) I would often forget what I was specifically looking for , but nevertheless I would keep looking for the file ,( but had completely forgotten the file name) anyhow, so that I didn't waste time.:rolleyes:
 
Teacher Terry said:
I’m extremely organized and everything is on my calendar such as changing the filters for my blower, air cleaner, etc. I also have everything organized into folders so I can find the information I need. I have a death packet for my kids so it will be easy when I am gone. I have a notebook where everything I need to do is listed with dates.
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You certainly are organized and on the ball! I need to change that darned filter too. It's a little difficult.
 
I am organized. Living in a small apartment would be horrible if I did not keep it organized. I usually put things away after using them. File papers in the file cabinet as soon as they come in. If I don't use something I usually get rid of it. The only place I am not organized is my storage locker downstairs. I am working on it though.
 
I need everything in my life organized, or I would not sleep well at night. :)

... my small apartment is a godsend as far as making me keep things in their place.
Compact, and then getting rid of anything not necessary in everyday life is essential.
 
I used to, I have a filing cabinet full of official correspondence, but I quit filing I've stuff that's sat in it for years that I've never seen since it went into its folder. So I just quit, I figured anything I needed the proper agency had copies of, let them clutter up their space.

This spring there is going to be a mass clearing here, boxes of paper are going to the recycler.
 

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