Office Mission #2: Conquering the Paper Monster: Part 2

Filed under: Monthly Missions, Office — Colleen at 10:23 am on Sunday, January 11, 2009

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In Part 1 of Conquering the Paper Monster, we got control of our ACTIVE files. In this section, we will find a home for our REFERENCE files.

If you already have a filing system that works for you, spend some time getting your filing up to date.

If you are not sure if your filing system is working, set a timer for 5 minutes. Now try to find the following items before your buzzer goes off.

  1. Your birth certificate
  2. A copy of your last tax return
  3. Your favorite take out menu
  4. Your auto insurance policy
  5. The instruction manual to your vacuum.

How did you do? If you could find all 5 items, you’re in good shape. However, if hunting down these papers was more like a scavenger hunt, it’s time to create a filing system.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Reassess your reference papers. If you can find the information easily on-line, you probably don’t need to keep it. And you don’t need to keep EVERYTHING for 7 years. Here’s a chart to help you decide what to keep.
2. Review Monthly Missions Week 1 Orientation, step 3 “Create a Filing System” and get to work!

3. You can make the filing process easier by purchasing the Set Me Free Filing System.

4. If you’re overwhelmed, commit to 15 minutes a day until you get control of your backlog of papers. Or hire Set Me Free! to give you the hands-on help that you need!

If you are motivated by this project or have a great organizing idea that works for you, please leave a comment to inspire others!

2 Comments »

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Comment by Maggie

September 7, 2006 @ 5:25 pm

Let’s just say as of last week, my marriage certificate was “filed” in a showbox with a few coupons, some photos, spare keys, and a phone bill from 2 years ago. But not anymore!! My husband and I have officially conquered our paper monster. We LOVE the “piling” system. Before we established the “discuss” pile, we would both leave tons of papers all over our home, so we wouldn’t forget to discuss them. Inevitably, those papers got stuffed in corners and pushed aside, and we never acted on them. The piling is a simple, not over-organized, way of staying on top of things. We can’t wait to get caught up on some of the other missions! This has definitely started something…

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Comment by S.E.

January 23, 2007 @ 5:33 pm

After the first of the year, create a new file called Taxes 2006, or whatever year you will be filing for next. As any mail arrives containing tax forms, simply put that mail into the folder. When tax filing time comes, you will have a file containing all the pertinent forms needed to complete the job. You will also quickly be able to ascertain if any important forms have not come in if you check in late January, as all forms must be mailed to you by the end of January.

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