KATHY'S HOME & GARDEN BLOG - TIME FOR FALL CLEANING!
GETTING RID OF THE CLUTTER IN YOUR HOUSE
We all have problems with too much stuff in our house. Sometimes the papers on my desk are literally falling off the edge.
Even if you don't have a business in your home we all have a huge amount of paper to deal with. First we need to analyze where the papers come from. Start by making a list of what types of papers you handle and then figure out what available space you have.
Sort and purge. Set up two bins: keep and recycle/shred. Make sure you shred anything that has any personal information and/or account numbers. It's best to use a crosscut shredder instead of the kind that simply shreds into strips. Ask yourself if you really need the documents you keep. Receipts and other loose papers can be kept in file folders, labeled and put away. Try using file cubes available at any office supply store.
I keep bills and items needing immediate attention in a special filing location with the sections labeled. For bills, I put the due date on the corner so I know at a glance when I need to send them in.
Create a de-cluttering routine. Maintain the paper flow by sorting mail daily. Be ruthless when going through the mail.
This time of year we are inundated with holiday catalogs. Are you really going to order from that catalog? If not throw it out! Go through your catalogs and other papers once a week and file or discard as necessary. With a little effort you can keep clutter under control.
GOT A SPECIAL TECHNIQUE YOU USE TO DE-CLUTTER? Let me know.
DEAN'S TEAM HOME & GARDEN EDITOR,
KATHLEEN WEAVER ZECH
