Week 10 – Home Office and Paperwork

It’s Week 10 of the 2022 Clever Girl Organizing Challenge! We’re almost to the finish line, but we still have important work ahead!

It’s time to address those piles, papers, and the supplies that go along with the administration of our homes (and, these days, our professional lives-happening-at-home).  At the heart of this topic: Paper. 

PAPER. Paper comes in our lives every day, and it’s easy to fall behind and get buried. It’s easy to lose sight of action items, bills to pay, important documents inside a sea of junk mail, coupons, catalogs, magazines, and so on. The papers that can come home from school in backpacks and bookbags are another influx of important information in a sea of unimportant papers.

Once the pile becomes large, and the pile becomes piles, people can dream of waving the white flag in surrender and tossing the whole thing in the fireplace. This week, we change that. You’re diving in, and you’re going to address those piles, and maybe even your files. You’re taking back your counter space and your bins and baskets.

Keep in mind, this week may need a comprehensive approach. One session probably isn’t going to cut it. You might have to make a few spots on your calendar to work through all this and get it to a point you’re happy with at the end of the week. Make space to work, get your tunes ready, and remember that every bit of effort gets you closer to your goal.

PS – a normal Facebook Live this week on Wednesday at 7:30 pm Eastern, but NEXT WEEK, we’ll do a ZOOM for people to join in during our final week! Stay tuned!

Don’t forget the two guidelines I’d love for you to keep in mind before you start your work:

1) Have the tools you need before you get started — trash bags, recycling, donate box, and “goes somewhere else” box (so you can set things aside and keep going, not be tempted to return things to a different space while you’re working).

2) Keep up on that BEFORE and AFTER picture taking! I see people saying “Shoot! I forgot to take a before picture” and then they know they’re missing out on expressing to everyone just how tremendous their transformation was. 🙂

 


THIS WEEK’S ASSIGNMENT

This week, we’re going to go through the paper in your house. It could be in piles, baskets, bins, drawers, boxes in closets… you know where your papers are stashed! We’re also going to go through your office supplies and the stuff you have stashed in what might be your home office / Command center / Home Hub… wherever work gets done, or, wherever the stuff you use to get work done lives! 

But first, the paper. First step in getting a handle on paper is really scrutinizing what you need to keep, and what you don’t. This may mean gathering piles from around your home, as well as going through your existing files, to rethink what you’re keeping, why you’re keeping it, and how long you need to keep it.  This can certainly be an “it gets worse before it gets better” project. This multi-step process is geared towards helping you tackle whatever is in front of you. 

Dealing with paper can be overwhelming for a lot of people. So often, I hear “I don’t know what to do with it“… which is often code for “I’m afraid I’m going to make the wrong choice, and get rid of something I wasn’t supposed to, and I’ll regret it.

The fact is, we need to rely on paper so much less than ever before in life. That isn’t to say some of it isn’t important; it definitely is! But most of it can probably leave your life just as soon as it entered it. I want you to think about what has changed in your lifetime in regard to paper records. So much of what is important today is available electronically.  This wasn’t the case when many of us began learning the guidelines about what to keep and how long to keep them. Credit card statement, bank statements, mortgage statements… these are all available online, and you can get them on the chance you actually need to refer to them after paying it.  

The two questions to help you guide through the “I don’t know what to do with this” sticky moments are:  

1) What is the situation that will come up that will require me to present this information again? This one really goes to NEED. 

2) Can I get this again elsewhere if I didn’t have the paper?  This one is about ACCESS. 

When you can identify a need that tells you that keeping it is important, and a lack of access to replace it, it’s probably a “keep”. If you can’t really identify under what situation you’d need the paper, you might consider it a candidate for an exit. And if it’s something you know you could access online (even if it takes a little extra effort or even a financial cost to get it), you might consider it a candidate, as well. 

Gather
You may decide you want to start with the loose, unfiled papers you have around your home, and THEN focus on the papers you have filed already. Or you may do it the other way around, thereby making room for filing once you’re done with the unfiled papers. There is no right answer. Just keep in mind you may need to do BOTH sets. 

Review and start your sort paper in your piles, a handful at a time. Set a goal in how you manage your time this week on this project, where you’re able to work through a specific pile in each sitting. this work can get boring, but getting in a zone over an hour or so can help you move through a lot of it. As you start sorting you’ll minimally have these categories, based on verbs: 

Act: This is the “ooh, I need to do something with this paper” trigger that comes when we go through piles. It could be something like a bill to pay, an invitation to respond to, a receipt you might be holding onto because you’re planning to return something, or even a piece of paper that isn’t an action itself, but it REMINDS you of the action (“Order more of this thing“). Keep your ACT papers in a new pile so you can focus on them appropriately. 

Keep/No Action: The papers you *know* you need to hold onto for short or long term filing, but no further immediate action is required. This could be functional paper (documents, bills, ID, etc.) or memorabilia paper (certificates, greeting cards, etc.) (IF YOU WANT TO START SORTING THESE INTO FINER CATEGORIES ALREADY, THAT’S FINE! Otherwise, set aside for the second “KEEP” sort, below) 

Recycle: There are going to be pages you come across that you will know instantly (or with a little review) that you don’t need to keep, and you can put them in a recycling bag or pile right after touching it

Shred: You don’t need it anymore, but it has Personal Identifying Information (PII) like your Social Security number, complete information regarding financial account numbers, sensitive health information, etc. 

Understand your KEEP categories so you can build a good system 
When you know your KEEP categories, this will help inform your filing system or help you edit your existing files. It also helps you create how you should think about your future incoming paperwork for where and how long it will need to be stored. Your system will have 3 components as you create it:

1) Your first sort is for Major Category: Think things like “House”, “Car”, “Utilities”, “Financial Information”, “Career”, “Insurance”, “Health Information”, “Pets”, etc.

2) You may have a second sort, Minor Category: Subdivisions within Major Category. “House” may have subcategories like “Mortgage”, “Home Equity Line”, “Renovations”, “Furniture and Decor”, “Appliances”, “Vendors”, etc.

3) Finally, consider the Length of Storage. This guides how long you believe you need to keep information.

  • Short term (maybe a month or so) – these things may not even get into a file, but need a way for you to know it’s time to toss.
  • Midterm (up to a year). This might be (for you) bank statements, utility bills of particular importance, this year’s insurance policy, etc. 
  • Long term (Several years, for the life of an obligation). Mortgage information, credit card terms, auto loans, student loans, etc. 
  • Permanent (forever, like Identification, Marriage Certificates or Divorce Settlements, Adoption records, Tax Returns, etc.)

You might also use this week to organize and edit your office/ school supplies.

If there’s one thing I know for sure about being 2 years into a pandemic, what we all used to think was important in this category (for work or for school) has changed. Think about what your REAL needs are to hold onto, what you continue to make space for, and what you really need to have on hand for at-your-fingertips needs. 

What are some examples of these categories? 

Printer paper, notebooks, stationery/greeting cards, pens, pencils, markers, staples, highlighters, staplers and staples, scissors, tape, glue, rubber bands, binder clips, paper clips, envelopes, sticky notes,  etc.

You’re also going to spend time this week to address your work space — whether you’re working from home or it is an “Admin Hub” for you to get things done. Look at surfaces on your desks, shelves, and of course, any piles on the floor that have gathered in your work spaces. Remember — especially in this COVID times, these spaces are more critical than ever to be conducive to focus and productivity. CLUTTER can get in your way of that, whether it is physically restricting how and where you work, or mentally impacting your focus and your mood.

Oh, and take this week to take advantage of cleaning off bulletin boards/white boards/magnetic boards and notes you have hanging around in wherever your office or command center is! 

Remember, you’re making decisions based on the value the items play to you in your current and foreseeable future and recognizing that anything else is probably clutter, and clutter is getting in your way of using your home the way you want to. This is why we’re doing this work; to cut down on the cost of clutter in our lives. 


CHALLENGE LEVELS THIS WEEK:

Each week, we have 3 levels for you to engage in. Pick the one that feels like it will work with your time, energy, and needs for the week. You can always rally later in the week and do more! If you’re managing your time closely and can’t do a lot in one session, see what you can do in a 20-Minute Attack. Set a timer, stay focused, and see what you can accomplish in less time than it would take to watch a sitcom! And let us know what you path you’re on each week with the hashtag #tackleit and then the week we’re on, for example: #tackleit  #week10

This week, I’m not going to list out different options under each category from the list above; they’re just going to be based on your ability to set your own goal and size up your energy and your needs. 

All Aboard (This is the normal challenge level):
– Deal with every paper pile in the house!
– Edit and Organize the office/school supplies
– Clean off the bulletin board, dry erase board, or other spot where notes and reminders are stashed! 


MiniChallenge (for people with limited time or energy this week)
– Deal with the paper piles in your house, triage for ACT/ KEEP/ RECYCLE/ SHRED – Go through your office/school supplies to organize/tidy what you have, and let go of obvious “we don’t need these” or “We don’t need this many” categories


LevelUp Challenge (for people with more time, energy, or greater need)
– Deal with every paper pile in the house
– Deal with the papers in your files/filing cabinets 
– Go through the office/school supplies
– Clean off the bulletin boards, dry erase boards, and other “command center” spots you’re using and make sure all the info is up-to-date and RELEVANT


WHY IS THIS SO HARD? 

Paperwork, either in paper or digital form, is a necessity in life. There’s little getting around that. However, the answers to the “keep” questions – what do we keep, why do we keep it, how do we keep it, and for how long do we keep it – are very different today than it was in the 20th century. With the common technology in our lives today, email, electronic banking, scanners, and online accounts, the many ways we can access information today mean all of those “keep” questions may deserve new answers.

Paperwork is also one of the biggest complaints that professional organizers hear about when we speak with people about what isn’t working in their home, or what drives them crazy. Here are some of the top problems I hear about when complaining about paper:

  • You can’t find what you need, when you need it.
  • You are incurring late fees and penalties from unpaid bills because you didn’t keep track of the paper or the task.
  • You miss important dates or opportunities because you’ve lost track of your paper.
  • You have run out of space for how much paper you can save.
  • Your management of paperwork is creating stress for your relationship or career.

When these problems exist, it can be a call to action that it is time to edit down your piles of paperwork and change your paper processing system. Again, some barriers arrive, just in time to stop you in your tracks:

Future Fear: “But what if I need this someday?” is the most common barrier when it comes to paperwork and files. We imagine that someday we might need something and that this is the only source for it.

Sentimentality: “These are all my old birthday cards/ school papers/report cards/kids’ artwork” and so on. The collection of papers serves only to represent or document our past. (We’ve been dealing with this one already, right???)

Want to Dispose of Safely or Smartly: “Does this need to be shredded?”

Purposeless Practicality: “This coupon is still good” or “I might want to look into this someday.”

All of these are surmountable barriers, and you can tame or even conquer each one as you face them. It may require a closer look at to your specific “why” when it comes to holding onto different categories of paper. Here are a few examples:

Some people keep paper because they don’t trust institutions. They believe that if they let go of a piece of paper and a company comes back to them and says they owe money or didn’t do something they were supposed to do, they can’t prove it isn’t true.

The truth is very rarely do those “what if?” events come up, and certainly not in proportion to the amount of paper people still hold. The problem situation exists when someone’s instinct tends to be, “I’d rather hold onto 1000 pieces of paper, if it justifies that I had the one that I needed in the pile,” and paper takes over the house.

Some people keep paper because they fear being audited, when someone proclaims that you must provide evidence that you didn’t do anything wrong. They will keep everything, even if it’s not tax-related, out of fear that EVERY piece of paper that has to do with money that was spent is critical. Again, if someone is saving items from an overabundance of fear, and papers that aren’t even helpful for an audit, it can be a problem. Sitting with a tax accountant to review the situation can help dissect irrational fear from a smart and safe plan.

Sometimes, people keep paper because it helps them be a resource of information, either because they want to be helpful, or maybe because they want to be proven right and think of paper as evidence. They keep things to get their hands on it “just in case” they want to refer to it again if a topic comes up. Their personal library is there to tap into if they ever need it again, or because they think they should or might want to read it someday! These kinds of papers include recipe files, home improvement ideas, workout plans, medical advice, magazine articles, appliance manuals, etc.

Many keep paper because it genuinely comforts them to see the life they have lived. It is more of a museum than a functional system. It may even be hyper-organized, and they can tell you everything about it. It is a badge of honor for them.

Finally, some people keep paper because they believe every scrap of paper is equally important to the next, and all are of critical importance. This knocks on the door of hoarding behavior, and if you think it might apply to you and want more insight, let’s talk. 

Whatever you discover as YOU are going through your papers is something to help you keep in mind to keep paper at bay before it even gets into your piles or filing systems! When you dive in, it’s bound to be stressful, overwhelming, and it will get worse before it gets better. Just keep in mind the key questions we’re always asking ourselves in this Challenge: 

What is the real role these items play in my life today, and in my foreseeable future? Why am I valuing these items as more important than the other things I’ve been working hard on all this time, struggling with storage space, cleaning, maintenance of spaces? What am I gaining TODAY by keeping these items?

Remember: You’re here because you made a choice to bring your head, heart, and body all in the same direction: to let go of things and have smoother systems in your home. If it was easy, you’d be done by now.


 

 

 

 

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I know, I know…. dealing with paper is a never-ending battle. It keeps coming in. But we also know how GOOD it feels to deal with all the existing paper and get it into great shape, and stop controlling our space! This week, you’ll want to pace yourself into a number of sessions and get through the week to make the progress you want without drowning. I want to HEAR from you as you go through this!!! 

 

 Happy Organizing! 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

NEXT LIVESTREAM WITH KATHY
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9th  – 7:30pm Eastern

missed last week’s? click here

 

 

 

 


 

 


 SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

Week 1 – Jan 3: Kitchen: Food – Pantry, Fridge, and Freezer
Week 2 – Jan 10: Kitchen/Dining: What we use to prep, cook, serve, eat, store, and clean after eating! 
Week 3 – Jan 17: Bath and Bed: Medicines, Toiletries, Cosmetics, Personal Items, etc. 
Week 4 – Jan 24: BREAK – take a break, catch up, or sneak ahead
Week 5 – Jan 31: Clothes, shoes, accessories
Week 6 – Feb 7: Living / Family Room spaces
Week 7 – Feb 14: Kid stuff / Holiday Decor / Pet stuff (Choose Your Own Adventure)
Week 8 – Feb 21: BREAK – take a break, catch up, or sneak ahead
Week 9 – Feb 28: Memorabilia
Week 10 – Mar 7: Home Office/Papers
Week 11 – Mar 14: Hobbies / Arts and Crafts / Sporting Goods