I absolutely hate doing paperwork. I hate looking at it. I hate taking care of it. I hate everything to do with it. At the beginning of my marriage, I kept up on it despite my loathsome feelings. Then we moved, and moved, and moved again. I have barely done more than chuck anything that didn't need immediate attention into the nearest box, and label it files. I am finally in a place where I have room to go through them and file them properly, including filing some in the shredder.
This has been my project for the whole day. I have seven years worth of files to go through. It is not going to be an easy task. I have almost two dozen boxes to go through, as well as the one small filing cabinet that hasn't seen proper use in a few years. I managed to get through almost two boxes today. I shredded about half of it as it no longer pertained to us; new home, several years past, warranty no longer applicable, don't have the product anymore, etc. As much as I don't want to be doing this, it is very much necessary.
My husband could get orders at any time in the next year, and I don't want to move it all again. Nor do I want to continue to look at them and feel guilty about all the wasted space from all the boxes. Besides, I know that I can get it down to fit into my small filing cabinet and a small file crate for each of the classes I teach at Michael's. In the process, I am cleaning up my office desk. I had taken to using a folding card table in my living room for temporary work space, and it turned into a more permanent structure in my living room. I am tired of that being there as well. I only wanted to bring out the card tables when we were in need of extra eating space when we had guests, not have it remain permanently in my living room to work on just because I didn't want to tackle this intimidating task.
So far,
- I have managed to gather all loose papers in the house into one location.
- I have taken almost everything off of the desk top.
- I brought all the loose papers to my living room and have begun sorting them out. I chose the living room in part because half of the loose papers were already there from using the card table, and also in part because it has more floor space to sort papers.
- I managed to set up a crate filing system for all of the kids' work coming home from school to include a spot for papers they need me to sign or look at.
- There was plenty of space in the crate after that, so I added a spot to put all coupons that I was collecting to use at the store (already tossed all expired ones in the process).
- There is also a file in it for correspondence that needs to be taken care of in one way or another, and a file for me to place a list/pictures of items I am saving money to purchase along with their costs. I still have room in it that I am sure that I will find something to do with as this system evolves.
- I also got an organizer set up for all of my bills. I had actually purchased it at a yard sale about four years ago knowing that I really needed to get on organizing all this paperwork. I just never "got around" to doing it until now.
In short, my living room has piles all over the floor. I have at least finished all the loose papers and am now starting on the boxes. My desk is clear of papers, but just has a bunch of office supply items that need to be put away still on it. My card table is also clear of papers, but still has a bunch of random items that I need to sort through and put away so that it can be put away. I hadn't realized how much my kids were using it as a dumping ground till I took all those papers off. There is everything from crayons and pencils to hair ties and empty candy wrappers on there.
I definitely need to get it cleared, but my first priority is the piles on the floor. I will only be able to keep my little guy out of those for so long. So, I will need to work on those everyday this weekend (if needs be) to get as much accomplished as possible. My darling husband is off work this weekend, which is helping to keep the little guy at bay. I don't know how long that will last when he goes back to work on Monday. Part of me wants to throw in the towel now, but I can't do that. I can't let this sit so long that I get trapped into moving it yet again. My friend says toss it all, but in today's day and age you can't be too cautious about the information that you toss in the trash. Besides, my luck I would accidently toss something important like a birth certificate or something.
My hope is to have it done in no more than three weeks. I would like to say that is my Christmas gift to myself, having it cleared and properly filed. I realize that with schedules and random pop up "emergency" items that it may take a little longer, but I am going to push hard to get it done. Besides, the faster I get it done, the happier I will be to not have to do it anymore.
I challenge you to find something that you have been putting off/dreading doing for however long and for whatever the reason, and tackle it this next week. Do this one thing for yourself and it will enhance your mood in a positive way during the holidays.
Jennifer
