Best Results Organizing

For those of you who may not recall 10th grade Social Studies, Bastille Day commemorates the anniversary of the July 14, 1789 storming of the Paris Bastille, a fortress known for holding political prisoners captive. If the pertinent details of history class are crowded out of your memory by more pressing daily stress over the clutter in your home or office, you may even feel imprisoned by your paper. 

Perhaps you’d like to forge your own revolution against the tyranny of paper clutter and setting yourself free? 

Let’s think of today, then, as our own little Bastille Day review class for the basics of breaking free of paper clutter and keeping your papers organized. Paper Doll, herself, was little surprised to realize the wide variety of topics we’ve covered in almost two years without ever having had a review session.  It may be summer vacation, but it’s time for a little Paper Doll summer school. 

Pay attention–you don’t want to end up in prison…I mean, detention.

1.  Get rid of the paper you don’t need. 

This isn’t simply a matter of purging out junk mail on your way inside from the mailbox, but preventing it from arriving in the first place.  And, of course, you’ll want to make sure the only paper coming to you is actually meant for your household or office.

Out of the Mouths of Moms:  On Paper You Don’t Want
Wait, This Mail Is For the Other Guy

2.  Keep track of information flow in a systematic way, first by avoiding scribbling on all those little scraps of paper (in Paper Doll parlance, those are floozies) (Via Seajones.com.uk) and then by considering digital alternatives.

Stay Far From Floozies:  Avoiding the Loose Paper Trap
The Refrigerator is Where Lunch Lives (And Not Jeeves, Your Social Secretary)
JOTT this down: The Big To-Do About Your To Do’s When You’re On The Go-Go-Go!
Digital To Do Lists, or Mommy, Look at the Pretty Cow!
Monkeying Around: Stop Drowning Everyone Else in Paper Clutter

3.  Create a system for archiving the papers you need for reference.

Family Filing—As easy as (eating) pie
Financial Filing—Scrapbooking snapshots of your money’s life
Mom, why is there a receipt stuffed in the turkey?
I Fought the Law…and the Paperwork Won!
Patient: “Doctor, it hurts when I do this.” Doctor: “Then don’t do that!”
Paper Dolls Live In Paper Households
I Hope Nobody Ever Writes a Nasty Tell-All Called “Paper Doll Dearest”!

4.  Speaking of reference, don’t forget keeping track of all the manuals, recipes and guidebooks in your life.

A Recipe for Decluttering: Kitchen Paper
Boom! Crash! “Honey, where’s the user manual?”
Put Manuals On Automatic: Organizing Owner’s Manuals: Part 1 (Paper) and Part 2 (Digital)
Organizing Your Car Maintenance Records

5.  If you lose an important piece of paper, waste no time in getting it replaced.  Then safeguard it. 

Lost And Found: Tax Returns (and memories of 9th grade science class)
Lost And Found: Savings Bonds (and saving yourself a headache later on)
Lost And Found: A Different Kind of Stock (Certificate) Tip
Lost and Found: GONE in 6 seconds: Your Wallet!

6.  Preserve your identity from those nasty identity thieves.    Remember, you are the only you you’ve got.

Will The Real Paper Doll Please Stand Up?
A Boy Named Sue May Hate His Name (but that doesn’t mean you can steal it!)
The Big OUCH!!! (Medical Identity Theft–Part 1)
Doctor, It Hurts When Total Strangers Do This! (Medical Identity Theft, part 2)

7.  Small papers are important, too. Make sure your wallet is an organized filing system.    (Via LifeClever.com)

What’s In Your Wallet (That Shouldn’t Be)?
What’s In Your Wallet (That SHOULD Be)?
What’s In Your Wallet? (Part 3): A Little Insurance Policy

8.  There are special ways to organize for every age, from 2 to 92.

Whistler’s Mommy Invites Grandchild Moses and Raggedy Andy Warhol For A Playdate
Back To School: Don’t Get an F in Forms!
Back to School: Pizza Days, Practice Schedules and Play Rehearsals
Senior Paperwork: Sorted and Secure for Gramps, and Take a Peek at “Nana” Technology

9.  An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but a better plan is to have organized medical paperwork, in case of emergencies.

Vital Signs: Organizing For A Medical Emergency, Part 1
Vital Signs: Gathering Information During/After A Medical Emergency–Part 2
Vital Signs: Maintaining Your Family’s Medical Records–Part 1 (Paper)
Vital Signs: Maintaining Your Family’s Medical Records–Part 2 (Digital)

10.  Finally, remember why you’re organizing your papers.  It’s not about aesthetics or making your kitchen or desk or car look like a picture in a magazine.  It’s about being able to find what you need, when you need it, so you can keep yourself out of debt, out of the hospital and out of any modern-day Bastille.

Of course, the above does include everything we’ve discussed in the past few years. This blog has looked at how to organize business cards, computer passwords, greeting cards (both the signed, received sort, as well as the blank wannabes), books, newspapers and magazines, wrapping paper and holiday paper and so much more.  However, if you dutifully study the above lessons, you’ll ensure that you’ll never be imprisoned by paper clutter again.

Think of today’s post as a cheat sheet for the school of life.  Because I think you know the answer to the time-honored question, “Miss Paper Doll, will this be on the test?”