·
piling
papers everywhere - on the floor, behind the sofa, in the kitchen, in the bedroom, and
under, on and all around your desk... As these piles develop important papers get muddled
up with old newspapers, clothing, unopened junk mail. So important things like cheques and
car insurance get lost. You waste a lot of time and get frustrated and stressed looking
for them.
·
holding
onto old newspapers and magazines because you are sure one day you'll have the time to
read them.
·
pulling
out articles of interest but then just adding these to the paper mountain
·
not
having a simple up-to-date filing system or not having anywhere at all to keep
documents
·
not
dealing with paperwork or post on a regular basis. A backlog builds up which would be
daunting for anyone!
If you recognise
yourself, don't despair. Follow the tips for organising your paperwork and make a start
today.
At home
 Choose one place to store all your paperwork.
Avoid the kitchen (it's too greasy) and your bedroom (this is your sanctuary to relax in).
Choose your spare room, a corner of your dining room or living room. Get a cardboard box
or plastic crate and gather up all the papers you can find. Now go through the pile one
paper at a time and allocate to one of the following categories.
·
Action
- buy an individual filing tray for paper that needs action, like bills to pay or letters
to answer. Note down these actions in a notebook, diary or on your computer.
·
Rubbish
- either bin or recycle it. Invest in a shredder to dispose of any confidential
information. Rymans and other office suppliers have a good selection of these.
·
File
- if you already have a filing system then file as you go. If not, buy some transparent
folders plus labels and put all similar items together - all documents to do with your
car, all investment documents, all gas bills, all bank statements, all appliance manuals.
Make sure you label everything. Use specific categories like water rates or home
insurance. You are aiming to find documents easily - ideally within 30 seconds!
·
Read
- No-one has time to read everything. If you're too busy to catch up with the backlog of
unread magazines, pass them on to someone else who will enjoy them.
·
Sentimental - keep special birthday, Xmas cards and letters, but be
selective. Store in a beautiful memory box.
Now you have sorted
your paperwork you will be able to tell what size of filing cabinet you need or how many
box files to buy.
At work
I recently visited an accountant. His desk was piled so high with files that our eyes
could only meet over a wall of documents. Perhaps he thought it made him look busy and
efficient. To me it felt like the whole lot would topple down at any time. Having a clear
desk doesn't mean you're idle - instead it means you're efficient and ready to deal with
things as they arise. So remember:
·
Don't pile paperwork on the floor. This
includes the area under your desk!
·
Deal with things at the time whenever
possible. Open the post daily and get rid of junk mail immediately.
·
Springclean your filing system at least
once a year. The dead time between Christmas and New Year is a good time to do this. It's
amazing how quickly most paperwork is no longer essential.
·
If in doubt about how long to keep
financial records have a chat with your accountant.
Keep your desk clear
and tidy it up at the end of each day
 Don't be scared of paper. Remember you're in
control of it - it's not in control of you. Save yourself time, stress and money by
getting on top of it today.
Good luck and if you need help then give Sue at no more clutter a call. Her background in
setting up information systems for charities means she enjoys sorting out paperwork. Ideal
for your home filing, your home office or sorting out a small business. A 4 hour session
costs from £200 in London . Additional travel charges will apply outside this area.
Phone Coaching
For those of you living outside the London
area Sue offers phone coaching to help you on the path
to clearing clutter from your home and office. A coaching package of £100 includes 1 hour
session plus 2 half hour sessions. You are free to email in between times with any queries
Unusual Gift
Why not ask for a decluttering gift voucher for Christmas? £200 for 4 hour visit or £100
for the phone coaching package. Make 2004 the year you kiss goodbye to clutter taking over
your life.
Sue's Autumn Read
The decluttering book that changed my life is "Clear Your Clutter with Feng
Shui" by Karen Kingston Price £6.99. It's a great read even if you don't believe in
Feng Shui. Karen looks at the emotional blocks to decluttering and helps you to overcome
them.
Sue
Kay works with a wide range of clients to organise home offices, small businesses,
declutter before a house move, prepare their spare room for a new baby and organise your
wardrobe ready for the new season. If you're selling your home, she can help you present
it clutter-free for the market, to achieve a quick and profitable sale. For practical
sympathetic help call Sue on 07974 076 675 or 020 8444 5149 or check out the website at www.nomoreclutter.co.uk
© 2002, 2003 no
more clutter
http://www.nomoreclutter.co.uk/
|
