I have got to get rid of too much saved papers I'v... - Page 2

SilleeMee · ‎05-22-2016

I like to save all of my "important" papers so I bought a Pendaflex hanging folder system. Also bought a very small one-level file cabinet that sits on the floor next to my desk. In the beginning I just started stacking papers in category piles and eventually weeded those piles down to the bare bones. My file is wonderful now. Pendaflex made it easy to do.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

When he retired my DH took over paying the bills after I had been doing it for 28 years. I never kept anything but cancelled checks , however, he has kept and filed every single bill he has paid for the past 7 years. He does eventually file them but for the most part they sit in a pile on the floor next to his desk.I or our housekeeper find them all over the place - usually under the sofa next to his desk.I do not understand why he aggravates himself keeping all that clutter, but he seeme to thrive on clutter. His Mother was a terrible housekeeper and I think he finds comfort in clutter as that was how he grew up.

Sadiesadie · ‎08-05-2011

When our mother passed away I was the one tasked with decluttering. Oh my, it took me a month of daily shredding to get rid of the scraps of paper she hung onto. Cancelled checks from 30 years ago, repair bills for items she no longer had and hadn't had for years, etc. There was very little of anything I needed to hold onto and most of that was something sentimental I made copies of and shared with siblings....who were then tasked to share with their own kids if they desired.

Mixed in with all were a few old family pics we were glad to have. She would have been happy to see those again too if she had had any idea they were there.

Now, I think of our girls and what a pain it would be for them if I did that so with very little exception, papers with personal info gets shredded then tossed. Other stuff goes into recycling right away too. We hang onto only that which we really and truly need.

Seems like it is so easy to duplicate everything anymore if necessary.

Our girls live out of town so I picture them having to deal with all that if we hung onto everything too. They'll have enough without that.

I am saving cards and artwork our oldest granddaughter has made for us. She's 7 and as soon as the 2 year old twins are old enough to do the same, those will be saved. We aren't buried in those items as they're mostly birthday cards and I think their parents will get a kick out of seeing them.

Think of your children or anyone else who might have to come in and take care of that especially if something happens to you suddenly.

hopi · ‎03-09-2010

@SilleeMee wrote:
I like to save all of my "important" papers so I bought a Pendaflex hanging folder system. Also bought a very small one-level file cabinet that sits on the floor next to my desk. In the beginning I just started stacking papers in category piles and eventually weeded those piles down to the bare bones. My file is wonderful now. Pendaflex made it easy to do.

The problem.......all my papers are important.

hoosieroriginal · ‎03-04-2012

This summer I went through all my paperwork and threw everything I didn't need in a basket and burned it in my outside fire pit this fall. I keep the basket in my extra bedroom, go through mail everyday and toss what I don't want in that basket. I burn it twice a year. I hate clutter now that I'm retired. I have a small basket in my antique cubbord with bills in it and just pull it out once a month and pay bills.

software · ‎06-08-2016

I scan stuff & save to my computer. Much easier to find also.

I'm a knitter and I had to quit saving patterns. Now I have a laptop full of patterns.

When I download or scan in, I can name it what I want to help me to find in the future.

But don't be too hard on yourself. The purge never ends.

@qualitygal wrote:
It just seems to spawn and grow!!!! So, this is going to be worse than pulling teeth. I realize that a lot of stuff I keep seems to be some deep-seated thoughts on "in case I need this down the road". I did see an article that gave 4 things to ask yourself and it made a lot of sense. I really need to do this. It also said, do it for 15 minutes, some of which is to shred what needs to be shredded. It was a good article and I plan to get started.

Ok, got the cookbooks thinned out and down, and I see how badly this is needed. Mostly for starters this is just my saving section.

Wonder if anyone else has this or a similar mission to carry out or just get started on?

gidgetgh · ‎03-09-2010

I'm kind of in my tough love, no nonsense mood today so please don't take what I say as an insult anyone, because I don't mean it that way.

If one is serious about decluttering, reducing papers, donating clothing, etc., then you're going to do it. If you look for reasons why you can't.....either it's too overwhelming or things (all things???) are too sentimental, then you won't do it. So just decide what it's going to be and be comfortable with the decision.

Again, I keep very little paper. I never keep paid bills, except medical bills and even those just for a very short time. As soon as someone receives your payment, you have no need to keep the typical bills.

We have a two drawer Sterilite file cabinet. That's where I keep our bank statements. We get paper statements because I want a physical record of where our money is, just in case the banks systems fail.

We have a desk in our keeping room. In one cubbyhole in that desk we keep the papers that will be needed for tax returns.

We keep 10 years worth of tax returns. The very day we bring our current return home from the CPA after it's been filed, I shred the oldest one in the file cabinet. Takes 5 minutes.

I have one three ring recipe binder that holds all the recipes I've collected over the years, including those sentimental ones from family members. I own no cookbooks.

We have one very very large three ring binder that holds all of our important info. Key to safe deposit box, insurance and pension information, information about our house, etc. credit card numbers and phone numbers for those cards. We've told both my sister and my stepsons that if anything happens to us to come and get that book and they'll be able to easily navigate through our estate.

I'm organized by nature, but when I pass away I don't want someone to have to take months cleaning out our "stuff". Mountains of paperwork.

If anyone is serious about decluttering, I'd highly suggest Marie Kondo's book "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up". Terrific, short read, and it really teaches you how to change your view on your "stuff".

Why is it, when I have a 50/50 guess at something, I'm always 100% wrong?

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

I was fortunate when my Mom died she was the queen of organization. BUT - I asked my DH to go over to their place and bring me the papers in her desk & file cabinet so I could go thru them & figure it all out. Wouldn't you know - he took it all out of her file drawers and threw it into boxes in a huge heap. All her organization gone ! It took me weeks to go thru it all.

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

@Harpa, I could never get rid of those recipes.

deedledeedeedle · ‎05-27-2014

@qualitygal wrote:
@AuntG, well, that I've done, and what I don't want to do, is to keep filing, and finding places to store the files, and then on and on it goes. I think there's things I just held on to for me. I see now, there's no need to keep some of this stuff!!! Day of reconning.

QG,

Well, I;m still waiting for my day of reckoning!!!!! I need to go through so much paperwork. Since its out of sight I've become too complacent.

dee