In 2013, Accidentally Green is getting back to the basics one step at a time. On Fridays, I’ll announce a challenge for the week – something to help you make small but healthy changes. The tasks also will help you reduce, reuse, or recycle something in your life.
Last January I confessed that managing paperwork – and paper clutter – was an ongoing struggle for me. Like laundry and dirty dishes, as soon as I think I have it under control, then it starts piling up again.
I am ready to take action. But the tasks seem so daunting and I admit that I’m pretty intimidated. I’m going to face my fears, though – and this January, the Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Challenges will involve paperwork. Since it’s the beginning of a new year, we’ll start with important paperwork.
Once I started living on my own almost fifteen years ago, I’ve filed my important paperwork in separate categories. It may take me months between organizing, but at least I know my papers are in one spot. Then, when I need to access something, I know where I should be able to find it.
Five years ago we got rid of our (broken) filing cabinet. Huge mistake. Since then, my papers have gotten tremendously disorganized. In the past year, I’ve repurposed a sturdy box and use it to keep my file folders of paperwork.
Since 2012 has come and gone, I’ve gathered all the filed paperwork and have stored it in a huge cardboard Bankers Box. (Fortunately, since switching to electronic bills and payments a couple years ago, I’ve noticed a sizable reduction in papers.) In fact, I keep our important documents from the past seven to ten years in this Bankers Box.
Now, all my current year file folders are empty and waiting for 2013 paperwork.
This week’s Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Challenge
This week’s challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to file all of your important papers from 2012. Gather all of your paid bills, receipts, etc. If you’re feeling ambitious, separate them into different categories – utilities, house, automobile, insurance, etc. If that’s too overwhelming for you, don’t worry about this step. Put all of your paperwork in a box. Write 2012 on the box and store it in a safe place.
Talk back
Once you’ve completed the challenge, please share your experience. What was your paperwork like beforehand? How long did it take to gather everything? How do you feel now that everything is filed away? If you take any photos of the process, please share on Facebook!
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Today, I’m linking up with:
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what about: pay – scan – shred?
Pay, scan, shred sounds like a great idea, Lydia! I know that because of space and time limitations my documents would pile up pretty extensively by the time I would get around to scanning them. But I love your method!
I am in the process right now. We keep everything in a two drawer filing cabinet, but it is bursting at the seams. I’d like to go through the papers and remove anything older than five years (we have bills and paystubs from at least 10 years ago). This should reduce the paper by half :). Getting started was hard, but keeping up the motivation is even more challenging.
I’m right there with you, Kristy. Finding motivation is so hard. (When I filed my 2012 papers, I noticed our box is filled with documents from the past 10 years … I’ll start shredding them next year.)
Great site you’ve got here! I was taken in by your Friday’s challenge idea- mostly because incidentally, I do the same thing on my blog! (I’d post the link, but I’m afraid it will snag the comment as spam…). I started it a few months ago, when I decided I needed a place to put all the thoughts running through my mind. I hear ya on the paperwork- mine tends to get piled up as well. But I’m afraid the box system would never work- I just try to keep on top of it by tossing aside what I don’t need, and setting aside what needs to be kept. I have two piles- immediately necessary (such as bills) and to-be-filed papers. It works for us! I’m working on reducing our family’s environmental footprint- incidentally, the same way you are, simply by seeking to improve your family’s health. :)