About jack Expertise I have more than 50 techniques that will help people to plan their short and long range tasks and events more efficiently and effectively, how to reduce the amount of paper clutter they have, how to organize their files, how to handle telephone interruptions and how to juggle and schedule multiproject workloads.
Question Jack,
I have lots of paper clutter and I don't know where to start to get rid of it. I have tried to set up a filing system, but I don't know how to set one up and what I should discard or when I should discard it (old bank statements, old bils just for an example). I have printed out things from the Internet and just stuck them in file folders. They are not organized anyway.
Answer Jeannie
I have many suggestions, but will start with just two. If you use them and they work for you, you may contact me directly at Jackrap1@aol.com, and I will be glad to share more. I find it does not work to give folks too many new techniques. These will take you a while to do.
1. Simply go through all your papers and get rid of the envelopes they come in. Envelopes are about half of the clutter. With a few exceptions, the info on the envelope is usually inside the letter. If not save those.
2. If you have not done it alread, you can buy a box of 100 cheap manila folders - and start to set up a few categories of envelopes. I will give you a little headstart for file titles most people keep:
Bills Paid, Bills not paid yet, Tax Information, Insurance, Bank info, Car Insurance, Home Insurance, correspondence In, Copies of Correspondence out, Personal, One file for each member of your family,Appliance warranties and
directions. Of course, keep files in alphabetical order within a drawer. You may use different drawers for different major groups, if needed. For instance, if you have a business at home keep the file drawers separate from home files.
This should start to get your papers organized.
You don't need bills and statements that are more than seven years old. however, save any expenses you made for home improvements that may be useful, for deductions if and when you sell your home (if you own one) Keep them in a file called, Guess what? Home Improvements!
