Use these tips to get your organising off to a flying start!
FILING
When storing important documents, they don't need to be as easily accessible as your home file - so consider storing out of reach - this is also more secure.
Consider using a fireproof box, or storing with professionals for extra security
Scan each document into your computer so you have a backup should anything happen to the original
Only keep items for the time that they are needed - there is no point in keeping last years car insurance paperwork when this years has arrived, just get rid of them and you will keep on top of the paperwork.
When setting up a filing system, ensure that each section is clearly defined - and DO NOT have a MISC section as you will never find anything once filed - make each section specific - its better to have lots of easily found sections than a messy vague filing system where you still can't find anything.
MAGAZINES
When reading magazines, fold down the corner of any pages that have interesting articles or things you need to keep - when you have finished reading the magazine rip out all the pages that you want, and get rid of the rest.
Make the most of free gifts with subscriptions - its cheaper to buy magazines this way, and the gifts are often things that you would buy anyway or that would make good gifts for others
Keep only current issues, unless you really need to keep them for work or a hobby - ask yourself will you honestly ever have time to read them again?
Think about sharing subscriptions with friends, if you have 3 close friends, why not each get one magazine, and share so you get the benefit of 3 magazines to read each month without having to pay for more than 1.
Ask yourself if you need to buy magazines or newspapers at all - can you get the information you need online?
Make time to read in your life - otherwise you will end up with a pile of papers that you will one day get round to reading - take them with you in your bag so that when waiting in a queue or having a coffee you have something on you that you really want to read. You will feel more in control and will have wasted less time
MAIL
Immediately open all mail and get rid of the junk mail and any unneeded items - have a bin by where you open the post to make this as easy as possible
Have a place to put each member of the households post each day
Have all mailing items (stamps, paper, envelopes, address book) in one place so that its easy to reply to anything, or send things to people
Have a system set up if you don't have time to deal with post there and then - a good system is a simple tray system where you have the following - ACTION, FILE, OUTGOING, KEEP FOR NOW or similar
ACTION - these will be invitations to reply to, bills to pay etc...
FILE - anything thats simply for filing such as a car insurance certificate
OUTGOING - Any cards and post or school letters that need to go out of the house (check this each time you leave the house to keep on top of it)
KEEP FOR NOW - items that you don't need to do anything with, but will be required - i.e. vouchers, invitations that you have replied to but need to keep for address details etc...
Keep a shredder near to the bin also so that you can destroy any personal information that is to throw away
Try to deal with all outgoing mail at the same time so that it saves you rushing to catch the post
Don't let things build up - deal with it daily, and definately don't let the piles blend together or get bigger than the space they are allocated - you want to only touch paperwork once if possible.
Subscribe to the Royal mails OPT OUT services to lessen your unwanted mail - http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?catId=400126&mediaId=500081
Cancel any catalogue subscriptions you have with stores you haven't bought from for a while - also consider cancelling them all if you have internet access as you will be able to find all the most up to date information there.
GET YOUR PAPERWORK ORGANISED TODAY!
FILING SYSTEMS, INCOMING MAIL, INCOMING PAPERWORK, DECLUTTER YOUR PAPERWORK, GET ORGANISED TODAY
GET FREE BONUS WHEN YOU SIGN UP - "50 TIPS TO GET STARTED TO YOUR ORGANISED LIFE"
ADVERTISE WITH US
If you would like to advertise your organised home related company on this website, or are a professional organiser wanting to write an article with a link to your site, please CLICK HERE for more details
