Receipts, coupons, magazines, birthday cards, bank statements, and more - the papers seem to come from nowhere and land everywhere. When it comes to all the incoming paper and how we react to it, we tend to fall into three categories, typically (but not always) related to our generation.
- Digital natives. People born or brought up during the age of digital technology are comfortable with computers and Internet resources. These individuals can easily store documents in the cloud with little fear or remorse.
- Baby boomers. Individuals born between 1946 and 1955, and those who came of age during the Vietnam War era, often keep documents stored in two places: the physical domain (file drawers, boxes, bins, and cabinets) and electronic storage (hard drives or the cloud). This group is straddling two worlds, and can get overwhelmed because they know they should get rid of paperwork and store it electronically, but they are so used to their old ways. Their solution is to continue to use both methods, often creating file confusion.
- Veterans. The older population who really haven’t experienced using a computer (and often feel it's too late to bother) tend to hold onto physical documents over long periods of time - even if the document is outdated and no longer necessary or important.
No matter which group we’re in, the paper continues to pour in, and we find ourselves looking at our desks and dining room tables and wondering why we have so much paper. What can we do about it?
TAPP your way to tidiness
I suggest using my TAPP system for sorting. Write this acronym on a postcard or type into your "notes" on one of your devices, and refer to it when you’re ready to deal with the mound of accumulated paperwork. Remember, there are only four choices for every item in your pile.
Let's take one item from the pile and start. We can use a graduation invitation as our example. You can do one of four things with that invitation:
- Toss it (T). You're not sure why you received the invitation in the first place. You don't know the student or family well, and you have no interest in going. No need to hang onto it. Throw away the invitation.
- Act on it (A). You want to respond to the graduation invitation. You RSVP "yes" and then make a temporary file called "Pat's Graduation," and slip the invite in there. Later when you write a check or buy a card for Pat, you have a holding place for all the related info.
- Pass it on (P). You remember that your husband works with the graduate’s father. You really don't want or need to go to the graduation, but perhaps he might. Pass the invitation on to your husband to handle.
- Pile it (P). The graduation invitation is unique in its design, and you like the idea of using a similar design for your own son's graduation in a couple of years. You don't plan on going to this event, but you do want to keep the invitation for future reference. You can either "pile it," if you are a piler and stacker, or file it under "cool ideas."
Piles, not files
Speaking of paper piles, one way to manage your stress around the paper overwhelming you is to considering letting go of your "file" system and embrace the pile system. The goal is just to organize our papers so we can find them. You can do this by creating your own "Pile System" in four easy steps.
- Clear a book shelf in your home.
- Use the book shelves for designated piles. For example: bills to pay, stuff to read, medical paperwork, decorating ideas, summer camp brochures.
- Label each pile with a sticky note (or if you want to bring some aesthetics to the look, get some matching baskets without lids). Keep your piles neat and tidy.
- When papers flow into your home, you now have a place to put them. Just remember to keep like papers with like papers in their designated piles. At the end of each year, review the piles, and keep or toss what's in the pile. You can also start anew - with the same or different categories from year to year.
Common important papers
Finally, when deciding what to keep or toss, take time to talk to your tax accountant to determine how long you should keep your important papers. Here are some guidelines to help you start the review process.
- Property records and documents from buying or selling a home: Keep as long as you own the home, and several more years beyond that as proof you paid off the loan.
- Family papers: Birth, marriage, adoption, and death certificates should be kept indefinitely.
- Warranties: Keep these for as long as you own the items.
- Estate materials: Keep wills, trusts, and burial instructions indefinitely.
Related:
- Preserving Personal Mementos and Children’s Artwork
- 10 Tips for Organizing Your Whole House
- The Junk Drawer: Facing Down a Household Horror
from Zillow Porchlight | Real Estate News, Advice and Inspiration http://www.zillow.com/blog/sorting-storing-papers-194165/
via Reveeo
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