Paper Clutter

[Meenah]

My biggest problem at home is paper clutter. What do you keep paper wise, and for how long do you keep it. I should know the answer here, but I don't. I fee like I have piles of paper and I just move them around.

[spotty_dog]

We keep a lot of stuff. But it's all in file cabinets. I would do it differently from how DH does it, but at least it gets done, yannow?

Here's what the IRS says you have to keep: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p552/ar02.html

My method is I like to keep a stack of manila folders and a stack of green Pendaflex hanging files on hand, along with a battery powered label maker. When you come across a paper, think of the first category that pops into your head -- where would you look for this again? "Utility Bills"? "Electric Company"? "Shutoff Notices"? If you don't already have a folder for that, immediately make and label one. Put only one folder in one green Pendaflex. Put everything in alphabetical order. So "Utility Bills" comes after "Paycheck Stubs" but before "Veterinary Records".

I think the key is for your system to match your brain, and for the labels to be crisp and clear. With that much in place, you can worry later about whether you should recycle your 3-year-old utility bills or purge the warranty cards from appliances you no longer own or whatever.

[Meenah]

Thanks!!! I'm printing the list now (to add to my paper)!!!!!!

[alison]

I use a 12-month folder for tax stuff (expenses, receipts, paystubs) and a separate one for bills and papers that come in. I file them according to when they come in/what month they refer to, and at the end of the year, I file them in our file cabinet. This reduces our clutter in the kitchen, and is within the range of what I can handle on a day-to-day basis.

[MrsK]

We keep a lot of stuff. But it's all in file cabinets. I would do it differently from how DH does it, but at least it gets done, yannow?

Here's what the IRS says you have to keep: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p552/ar02.html

My method is I like to keep a stack of manila folders and a stack of green Pendaflex hanging files on hand, along with a battery powered label maker. When you come across a paper, think of the first category that pops into your head -- where would you look for this again? "Utility Bills"? "Electric Company"? "Shutoff Notices"? If you don't already have a folder for that, immediately make and label one. Put only one folder in one green Pendaflex. Put everything in alphabetical order. So "Utility Bills" comes after "Paycheck Stubs" but before "Veterinary Records".

I think the key is for your system to match your brain, and for the labels to be crisp and clear. With that much in place, you can worry later about whether you should recycle your 3-year-old utility bills or purge the warranty cards from appliances you no longer own or whatever.

Yes. But you also have to purge. I have a hard time with paper too. In our house, each family member has an "in" box. If I find DrK's papers, they go in his box. The kids' art projects, photographs, medical records and the like go in their boxes. About once a week, I pick whichever box is fullest and go through it, scan artwork, put pictures in albums, file receipts. I still get into trouble with homeless papers and I just discovered a bankers' box full of paper that has been sitting under the desk since we moved last year. It's a work in progress but any progress is good.

[SuzySunshine]

We have ONE filing cabinet its a lateral that is probably 3 feet long. I go through it about every six months and purge. I have cubbies on my desk - bills that are due go in one, things to be shredded have their own pile and the shredder is under my desk so at least once a week I shred. I also have one small file holder on my desk that holds about a dozen file folders, each child has one, one for schedules, one for me, basically things that I need on a daily basis. Most paper that comes into our house gets recycled or shredded, we don't keep much anymore.

I no longer keep things like CC bills, I can get all of that online.

[MarissaNicole]

I find it frustrating that banks and credit cards want you to go paperless but then only allow you to look back so far. I imagine they have the records somewhere but some of my accounts only allow me to look back a year or two.

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[SuzySunshine]

I agree, but you can usually request anything older then that. The one thing I have started keeping is that most, if not all, of my cards now send me an annual summary - I have started keeping those.

[Deebs]

I don't know if this helps others, but DH and I now have Turboscan on our iPhones, and it has helped so much! For tax receipts (which are substantial bc DH is an IC), we scan the receipt, label it, email it to ourselves, trash the paper copy, and file he email. Our accountant is happy to get electronic receipts, and our paper is less.

I still have no solution for school paper clutter that is life changing.