Sunday, March 13, 2011

Clearing the Clutter



I'm after advice from the organised among you.

I am in the process of decluttering and sorting my home office.

I currently have shite everywhere, I can't find my marriage certificate and if a disaster happened (and this seems to be a common occurence lately) I would struggle to find all the important documents.

I have been an office and administration manager and am great at setting up new systems in a work situation but seem to struggle at home, maybe because I go a bit over the top and then never end up following it through. I need advice from those of you who know how to keep it simple.

So what I want to know is:

How do you organise your home office?

Where do you keep your important documents and do you have more than one copy?

How do you file your bills etc?

9 comments:

savannah said...

i sure hope you get some answers, sugar, because i need the same sort of help!!!! right now, there is a cardboard box sitting on the floor with bills in it! i think most of them are paid! xoxoxo

Jules said...

Savannah:
A box? A box? You are nearly the most organised person I know if you only have "A" box. LOL

Anne said...

I file my accounts in East light folders, one for home, one for farm, beach house and what was our business. All A - Z and the newest ones on top. Also file GST returns and bank accounts in other folder.

I have a pull out file with the drop in files (hope you know what I mean) and they are labelled. I haven't yet but feel I should photo copy all important documents and keep the originals in our safe.

Dealing with mail as soon as it comes in helps as well.

LOL - I need to practise what I preach and keep up with my filing!

Mom said...

I've always believed that a clean desk was the symptom of an empty mind.If that is true my mind is very full and cluttered.

kittie444 said...

Oh my God = its like reading about MY life... decluttering is what we have struggled with all weekend and so far (and about 5 rubbish bags later) we have done 2 rooms!! Bloody disgusting - all the crap we have! I am ashamed of myself...

And now that the disasters are happening right on our doorsteps I think it's a good idea... and I can't find my marriage certificate either!!! I have a birth certificate for my daughter Paige but nothing else.... maybe a couple of insurance papers...

I need one of those home makeovers where they come and declutter - without the "going on the telly" part!!

I will be coming back for feedback you get!!! Best of luck.

Kate (kittie444@hotmail.com)

Cinders said...

I use a folder at home for our birth, marriage business certificates. I have stopped getting bank statements in the paper form because everything is available on line. I throw away all paid bills because most of these are also sent to me and paid online.
These days the only stuff I keep are legal docs referring to houses/businesses bought. I keep tax stuff separate again but only keep them for the required 7 years.
Good luck - I love chucking shit out.

Cazzie!!! said...

I use one of those consentina type file thingies with A-Z and place my invoices in there. Then I have a second one to place the bills once they are paid.

Anonymous said...

I keep everything for 12 months; I scan as I go & at the end of the financial year put the whole lot on disc/hard drive/removable hard drive; then toss.

I have a 4 drawer filing cabinet at home (1 drawer for current; 3 drawers for everything else) & keep all medical records, warranties & general memorabilia - once a year I look over & consider if I should chuck anything (I usually shut the drawer of the filing cabinet & leave until next year, or when the drawer is so full I can't fit anything else in it so am forced to throw something out).

I have a separate file for birth certs/marriage cert/passport stuff.

I guess none of that would really help if the house burnt down or in the event of a natural disaster!

Ms Smack said...

I'm with Alley!