March 19, 2009
Paper, Paper Everywhere!
Most people are all too aware of how much time and energy it takes to deal with all the paper in their lives. For the vast majority, the notion of a paperless society has turned out to be, quite simply, a myth. The use of computers and e-mail at work and at home have increased paper consumption by an astounding 40 percent as people hit the "Print" button with wild abandon. And then, of course, there's the daily mail to contend with.
Since there’s more of it than ever, having organized paperwork is a necessity. If you don't deal with the paper in your life effectively, you will, almost certainly, pay a high price. The key is to pull the information that is important off the paper, do what you need with that information and throw or file the paper away. If you spend more than five minutes looking for a piece of paper, pay late fees and increased interest rates on your bills or have so many piles that you can’t see the tops of horizontal surfaces, it’s time to get your papers organized. Here are some tips to help you stay on top of it all:
TIP #1 – THE INBOX: The key to good paper management is to have ONE place for all the paper that comes into your home. Too many places for paper to live contribute to disorganization. Incoming mail, notes from school, magazines, catalogues, letters, etc. should all be dropped off in this "Inbox" location. Let everyone in the family know that if it doesn't get in the "Inbox", IT DOESN'T GET LOOKED AT.
TIP #2 – THE OUTBOX: The Outbox is for redirecting anything that belongs to someone else or needs to go out the door. Signed papers for your kid's field trip, your husband's catalogue, a bank deposit your wife said she'd take care of, a book that needs to be returned to the library, a DVD rental that needs to go back to the store, etc. Having an Outbox prevents you from getting sidetracked. It allows you to distribute everything at once instead of constantly interrupting the work at hand.
TIP #3 – JUST DO IT: Many people cringe at the thought of their daily, incoming mail because it just adds to the piles that are already there. Incoming mail should only take about ten minutes a day to handle. Just do it and be done with it. No excuses!
TIP #4 – FIVE PILES: As you open your mail, make five piles: Trash/Recycle, Shred, Pay, File, Action.
TIP #5 – FIRST THINGS FIRST: The very first thing is to go through and throw away or recycle all the JUNK mail that doesn't need opening or shredding.
TIP #6 – NEXT THINGS NEXT: Go through and pull out the BILLS. Trash or recycle any inserts you don't need or want.
TIP #7 – BILL PAYING: Put all your bills in a "Pay" pile. When you pay the bill, tear off the return portion of the statement and put it in the return envelope with your payment and put it in the Outbox for mailing (don’t forget the stamp). Put the remaining portion – after you've noted the payment date and amount paid on it - in the "File" pile, if you plan to keep it. If you get a paper statement, but pay online, note the payment date, amount and payment confirmation number and put it in your "File" pile, if you plan to keep it.
TIP #8 – READY, SET, ACTION!: On the mail that needs ACTION, write any necessary information in your planner so you can toss/recycle or file the paper. For example: if it's an invitation to a party, call and let them know you're coming, write the info in your planner and throw away/shred the invitation.
TIP #9 – THE END: Shred the shred pile, file the file pile, put the bills to be paid where they go until you’re ready to pay them, and you're done with the mail.
TIP #10 – SCHEDULE A WORK BLOCK(S): Set aside two to three hours each week to do your paperwork. Be sure to schedule it in your planner or on your calendar. Work uninterrupted during that period and stop when the time is up. Break the time up into a couple of work sessions per week if you feel too drained making all the necessary decisions in one sitting.
TIP #11 – FILE WEEKLY: Set aside a regular block of time each week to catch-up on your filing. Schedule the time in your planner or calendar.
TIP #12 – KEEP IT CURRENT: Keep the files you use as current as possible. Store papers that you do not need to access very often – Inactive Files - in out-of-the-way storage files or boxes or specially set aside drawers.
TIP #13 – OUT WITH THE OLD: Make a note in your planner or calendar to periodically go through your files and throw away outdated material or move it to your Inactive Files. Don't allow your files to become overstuffed and clogged by useless information. Keep 'em lean and mean! Putting a specific "Dispose After" date on each piece of paper BEFORE you file it will make an easy job of the purging process.
TIP #14 – NO EXCUSES: Be sure to have all the filing supplies you will need on hand - file folders, hanging folders, file folder tabs & labels, a label maker, pens, etc. – so you won’t be distracted from the actual filing by having to look for supplies or go out and buy them.
TIP #15 – IT’S ABOUT RETRIEVAL: The primary purpose of a filing system is retrieval, NOT storage. Your filing system should be designed to help you find information, not just provide you with a place to store it. Think about what name you’d associate with a particular item and whether or not that same name will work three months from now when you need to locate it. Label your files/folders accordingly.
TIP #16 – KEEP IT TOGETHER: Try to keep items in large categories. This keeps things simpler and easier to find. For instance, have one file labeled "CAR" instead of several files labeled "Car repairs", "Title to car", "Car registration", "Car insurance", etc.
TIP #17 – ELIMINATE THE PILES: The reason our kitchen counters, dining room tables, coffee tables and desks get piled with papers is because we have no place to put them. Having a usable filing system will eliminate the all-too-common worry that papers are going to get lost. Remember, no piece of paper is worth anything if you can’t find it!
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MILLER ORGANIZING. All rights reserved.
14 Stuyvesant Oval
NYC, NY 10009