TRYING TO CONTROL THE PAPER CLUTTER

This week, being stuck at home with the flu, I've had to look at a blaring chaos of paper. Sick of it, I've spent some of my "feeling better" moments tackling it. I hate getting the mail. Let's face it, there is rarely something fun inside the mailbox. Mostly junk mail, a few bills each month. The kids come home from school and dump a backpack full of paper each night. AND did I mention my son is an artist? YEP, he's good too and I have a gazillion papers around to prove it!

So, it was time to fill the empty filing cabinet drawers (remember we've just moved in). My friend, Debra, taught me something several years ago that I absolutely LOVE. You see, file folders usually come tri-cut. Three separate divisions, stacked so that you can read all of the tabs at a glance. But, if you like to alphabetize and IF ("snort")- WHEN you have to add a new file, it messes things up. Well, it bothers me. Debra taught me that I should use all file folders with the tab in the same place, that way you can add or toss any folder. I just loved that idea!

BEFORE (not shown: the stack next to the filing cabinet, the one on the desk, the one on the sofa table and the one on the table):

Supplies: File folders with the tab on only one side or the center (every single file folder) and a label maker. I cannot live without my label maker. One of my favorite tools.

Filing cabinet drawer after: Alphabetized, ready for new folders to be added. The Yellow hanging files in front are my "To Be Filed" and "To Be Paid" folders. Someday the red and blue hanging folders will be green...

This little metal container holds four files. Labeled Mom, Dad, Caitlin and Jared. It sits above the filing cabinet and next to the computer monitor. It is meant for the papers that need action (other than bill paying action). For example it looks pretty sloppy right now because my folder is STUFFED! I have a lot to do. Caitlin's folder has a paper that tells me the details of some items I need to purchase for her violin class. Jared's has a book order that needs returned to school.

When the kids bring home their school work for keeps it goes into their box. I usually weed it out about 3-4x a school year, and it's the place the art/school work sits until it gets scanned into the computer for their Shutterfly books.

The hardest part for me is being consistent about filing the stuff away, but more than half the battle is actually having a home for it to go. I used the box system for the kids papers last school year and it worked pretty well! Found the boxes at Longs Drug store of all places! They are approximately 13x15".