busymom
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Post by busymom on Feb 19, 2019 22:34:56 GMT -5
Ok, I'm going to attempt to post a picture of my new kitchen shutters. Down here they call them "plantation shutters". Well, the picture looks tiny, (the window is actually rather large), but you get the idea... I can fold them out if I want to open that window this Summer. I'm basically "stuck" right now on reorganizing. I'm working with someone, and the long-term goal is to add storage space to this house. Might be in the Master bedroom, or the kitchen, or both. I'll let you know how it all plays out. Busy, a few of my dad's hotels have shutters in them. They make for a streamlined, easy to clean presentation. Good job! Thank you! My kitchen faces east, so we get a lot of sunlight in the morning. With my migraines, it's important to control how much light comes in. This isn't a great picture, but they really do look nice. (You'll have to tell me more about your Dad sometime. How did he get into the hotel business?)
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finnime
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Post by finnime on Feb 20, 2019 9:48:09 GMT -5
I must confess I'm not like most of you. Organizing is my bane, not my gift. I have no clear vision of how to arrange things so they're easy to locate and don't look like hellish heaps of Stuff. So I ask for your advice - when I moved here I bought a nice three-drawer wicker hanging folder file. It is attractive enough to go anywhere. I promptly stuffed it with random folders of all sorts of paperwork, including old bills, insurance documents, cards from when my mother died, warranties, bank statements, birth certificates, tax backup documentation and much more. Virtually all of it was immediately useless. I had no filing system that made sense, plus paper was not my natural source documentation (I'm good with electronic docs.) Since it's been full I haven't actually used it in years except to find our passports.
I would like to use it for things that are important to keep in paper. How do I organize it? If alphabetically, by what? Should car titles and warranties go under "car" or "Volvo" or "Titles" or "Important"? You can see I'm in trouble here.
How do I get ahead of this? Any and all suggestions are appreciated.
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plugginaway22
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Post by plugginaway22 on Feb 20, 2019 10:18:44 GMT -5
Finnime... I hate files which end up being a black hole for me. We bought a safe this year and i just keep the very important documents in a pile in there. Most paper stuff i shred, most everything is electronic now and can be found. Could you take files out and just use drawers for storage, since it sounds like a nice piece of furniture?
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plugginaway22
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Post by plugginaway22 on Feb 20, 2019 10:20:44 GMT -5
And I have the rare day off due to snow which means I could be purging my own paper piles, but I'm here reading about others.🙂
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nidena
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Post by nidena on Feb 20, 2019 10:32:32 GMT -5
I must confess I'm not like most of you. Organizing is my bane, not my gift. I have no clear vision of how to arrange things so they're easy to locate and don't look like hellish heaps of Stuff. So I ask for your advice - when I moved here I bought a nice three-drawer wicker hanging folder file. It is attractive enough to go anywhere. I promptly stuffed it with random folders of all sorts of paperwork, including old bills, insurance documents, cards from when my mother died, warranties, bank statements, birth certificates, tax backup documentation and much more. Virtually all of it was immediately useless. I had no filing system that made sense, plus paper was not my natural source documentation (I'm good with electronic docs.) Since it's been full I haven't actually used it in years except to find our passports. I would like to use it for things that are important to keep in paper. How do I organize it? If alphabetically, by what? Should car titles and warranties go under "car" or "Volvo" or "Titles" or "Important"? You can see I'm in trouble here. How do I get ahead of this? Any and all suggestions are appreciated. Old bills, bank statements, insurance documents can all be shredded or burned i.e. destroyed. Titles and warranties could go under Car/Vehicle/Automobile. If you're not sentimental about the cards from when your mom passed, you could get rid of those, too.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Feb 20, 2019 10:38:41 GMT -5
I'm the sentimental one with the cards from when mom died. I can't get rid of those.
I have pared down the Christmas cards that I keep to just ones from very important people in my life and the photo cards. Once I scan the photo cards, out they go.
Yes, I'm avoiding today's to do list.
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Iggy aka IG
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Post by Iggy aka IG on Feb 20, 2019 11:25:47 GMT -5
I must confess I'm not like most of you. Organizing is my bane, not my gift. I have no clear vision of how to arrange things so they're easy to locate and don't look like hellish heaps of Stuff. So I ask for your advice - when I moved here I bought a nice three-drawer wicker hanging folder file. It is attractive enough to go anywhere. I promptly stuffed it with random folders of all sorts of paperwork, including old bills, insurance documents, cards from when my mother died, warranties, bank statements, birth certificates, tax backup documentation and much more. Virtually all of it was immediately useless. I had no filing system that made sense, plus paper was not my natural source documentation (I'm good with electronic docs.) Since it's been full I haven't actually used it in years except to find our passports. I would like to use it for things that are important to keep in paper. How do I organize it? If alphabetically, by what? Should car titles and warranties go under "car" or "Volvo" or "Titles" or "Important"? You can see I'm in trouble here. How do I get ahead of this? Any and all suggestions are appreciated. Copied and pasted from your list above: paperwork, including old bills-Before and after we moved 1.5 years ago, I shredded old bills. There is no reason to keep these. I also went paperless on everything but one thing, which is our trash service which has antiquated invoicing. If paperless isn't your thing, what I used to do is have green hanging files containing manila files labeled with each month. After I paid bills, all paid invoices went into that month's files. I would then shred the contents semi-annually.
insurance documents-No reason to keep anything on hand other than that current policy period, IMO. If older information is needed, you can always call your insurance agent. We love to help with things like this. cards from when my mother died-I have special containers (a pretty hat box, a small Rubbermaid tote, etc.) for letters from my grandma and grandpa, my milestone birthdays, and things from when my nieces were young.
warranties-First thing I did when purging before the big move is confirm I still had the items the warranties were for. I have a separate hanging file for them and manuals, etc.
bank statements-I'm paperless for these, too. However, I used to keep a 3 ring binder for each account, then purge after XX amount of time.
birth certificates-This is in the fireproof box at home, along with our marriage certificate, etc. If I had one, my passport would go into the box as well.
tax backup documentation-Do you mean zip drives or...? If you mean hard copies of receipts, etc., then what I do is have a few boxes in where we have holiday decoration totes. I confirmed we only have to keep 7 years of tax stuff, so I've been shredding older things.
and much more
Should car titles and warranties go under "car" or "Volvo" or "Titles" or "Important"? I have very specifically labeled files. I have larger green hanging files labeled Assets and Liabilities. Then manila files for: School loan. GMAC loan. ATV. Harley. I also have a hanging file for letterhead, torn out magazine articles for accessing later, etc.
How do I organize it? If alphabetically, by what? My file drawer starts with the above mentioned monthly paid invoices (for that pesky trash bill, LOL, which, after rereading this sentence, I should just incorporate into one file), then goes alphabetically from there.
Now, before I seem like miss annoyingly perfect here, I will say I haven't purged or organized any of the above since moving
into our new home 1.5 years ago.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Feb 20, 2019 11:38:34 GMT -5
finnime maybe you could use that nice furniture for paperwork you haven't gone through yet? I really like traditional vertical filing cabinets. You can get small ones at Ikea. We have two vertical file drawers (one drawer each). One is our bottom desk drawer, the other is a small one from Ikea, next to the desk, with our printer on top. This Week
Home - Bottle bank/Mon Work - Edit P’s script/Mon - Job 3: do online certification/Mon - Group A: mark 20 grammar tests/Tues - Group B: mark 21 grammar tests/Wed
- Enter marks/Tues+Wed
- Set up Skype/Wed
- Send Job 2 course description/Wed
I got 3 late essays today, I'll add them to my growing weekend list. I'm glad I got ahead.
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bean29
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Post by bean29 on Feb 20, 2019 12:53:39 GMT -5
Regarding filing, I struggled with this for a while, and finally decided that Alphabetical makes the most sense. It is easy to know where to add a new file, and usually pretty easy to find what you are looking for. The other day I needed the purchase info for DH's Hyundai Santa Fe - via Fifth Third Bank. I looked for Fifth Third Bank, and part of what I needed wasn't there so I looked under Hyundai and I found the rest of the info I was seeking. The reason for the Hyundai classification, is b/c we usually have oil changes and maintenance done through the Hyundai dealer. I have post it stickers that have sticky all around the outside on the drawers with the letters and specific files someone may look for.
I have a second file cabinet that has things like insurance policies, Car titles, info relevant to warranties, and Some old tax documents etc in it. I have the Birth Certificates, Marriage License, car titles etc in there and I have a sticky on the outside. DD knows where that stuff is. DH may have to figure it out someday, but he is not interested now. I really am not worried that he won't be able to figure it out. I probably should have some stuff in a safety deposit box or Fire Proof box (I actually own one- it is empty).
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finnime
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Post by finnime on Feb 20, 2019 13:18:29 GMT -5
Thanks you all, this has given me some ideas and probably even more important, some courage!
I think if I cull all the unneeded papers I'll get this down to one drawer of suspended files. I appreciate your advice on what to keep, Bean, Iggy and Nidena. Really I'm terrible with hardcopy.
Then I can do as you suggested, plugginaway, and use the other drawers for other things. It is a nice piece of furniture and can never have too many drawers, for printer paper of various sorts and for office-type miscellany. Even for the spare bedding for when we have a guest in that room in the pull-out sofa bed.
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busymom
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Why is the rum always gone? Oh...that's why.
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Post by busymom on Feb 20, 2019 13:18:35 GMT -5
I do much better with filing than with keeping the house organized, finnime. LOL! I recommend naming files in a way that makes the most sense to you. Like Iggy aka IG, we've got a fireproof safe where we keep the paperwork that would be difficult to replace, like birth certificates, car titles, etc. For my main filing system, I have hanging files that are general categories, like: "utility bills", "credit cards", etc., and inside each of those hanging files, I have manila file folders, each with the name of an individual utility company, credit card company, etc. Make as many categories, and file folders as you need. I got the ultimate compliment this week. DD went in to my old accountant to get her taxes done, and the accountant told her she could tell that I'd taught her how to organize her paperwork. Nice! Now, if I could only figure out a better system for keeping the house looking good...
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Feb 20, 2019 13:27:00 GMT -5
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Iggy aka IG
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Post by Iggy aka IG on Feb 20, 2019 13:34:40 GMT -5
I do much better with filing than with keeping the house organized, finnime . LOL! I recommend naming files in a way that makes the most sense to you. Like Iggy aka IG , we've got a fireproof safe where we keep the paperwork that would be difficult to replace, like birth certificates, car titles, etc. For my main filing system, I have hanging files that are general categories, like: "utility bills", "credit cards", etc., and inside each of those hanging files, I have manila file folders, each with the name of an individual utility company, credit card company, etc. Make as many categories, and file folders as you need. I got the ultimate compliment this week. DD went in to my old accountant to get her taxes done, and the accountant told her she could tell that I'd taught her how to organize her paperwork. Nice! Now, if I could only figure out a better system for keeping the house looking good...That *is* a huge compliment, busymom! And to the last sentence. I've always said I can organize until I'm blue in the face, but when it comes to cleaning, meh. I despise dusting, vacuuming and cleaning showers and tubs.
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nidena
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Post by nidena on Feb 20, 2019 14:00:39 GMT -5
It was a snow day today. All I've done so far is drink coffee and write a long-overdue blog post.
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chiver78
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Post by chiver78 on Feb 20, 2019 14:10:14 GMT -5
I do much better with filing than with keeping the house organized, finnime . LOL! I recommend naming files in a way that makes the most sense to you. Like Iggy aka IG , we've got a fireproof safe where we keep the paperwork that would be difficult to replace, like birth certificates, car titles, etc. For my main filing system, I have hanging files that are general categories, like: "utility bills", "credit cards", etc., and inside each of those hanging files, I have manila file folders, each with the name of an individual utility company, credit card company, etc. Make as many categories, and file folders as you need. I got the ultimate compliment this week. DD went in to my old accountant to get her taxes done, and the accountant told her she could tell that I'd taught her how to organize her paperwork. Nice! Now, if I could only figure out a better system for keeping the house looking good...That *is* a huge compliment, busymom ! And to the last sentence. I've always said I can organize until I'm blue in the face, but when it comes to cleaning, meh. I despise dusting, vacuuming and cleaning showers and tubs.I am the exact opposite. I love the smell of bleach in the air, I know things are clean. but the stacks of paperwork in my spare bedroom/home office waiting to be filed or shredded would make you twitch. I'm horrible at that, and have tried to go paperless on anything and everything I can.
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snapdragon
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Post by snapdragon on Feb 20, 2019 14:47:58 GMT -5
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Post by empress of self-improvement on Feb 20, 2019 15:32:01 GMT -5
So is it ok to shred tax returns older than 7 years? I got rid of my father's since he's been gone for 16 years. If they haven't audited him by now, good luck finding me. Same for my mother. She's been gone 8 years but hadn't had anything to file for about 3 years before she passed as she was po'. Very po'. I do still have some of mine and DH's but am just a little leery of shredding them although I haven't gotten any love letters from the IRS in 2 years. And I'm supposed to be working on my accounting classes but I'm on here so don't feel bad.
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Iggy aka IG
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Post by Iggy aka IG on Feb 20, 2019 15:38:31 GMT -5
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Post by empress of self-improvement on Feb 20, 2019 16:07:31 GMT -5
Thanks Iggy. Guess I have nothing to worry about then. My life is boring and I don't deliberately file fraudulent returns. That's why I have a tax guy. I suck at math.
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Knee Deep in Water Chloe
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Post by Knee Deep in Water Chloe on Feb 20, 2019 16:20:12 GMT -5
I don't know that this will help you, finnime, but here's my system: On the right are the house files, divorce paperwork, and health insurance paper work. On the left is everything else. It's not alphabetical, but just in an order that I've had for years. Vital records are first, bank files are second, retirement statements, student loans, car insurance, and then the kids' files are penultimate followed by the "cards" file. I do not keep any regular bill statements. I can access those online if need be. I purge once or twice per year. I only keep two years of bank statements, current and previous auto insurance paper work. The stuff in the middle of the drawer are rental house papers. When the card file gets full, I go through it, keep what I still want, and have a box in the garage. My tax returns are also in a file crate in the garage.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Feb 20, 2019 17:28:47 GMT -5
I have working on scanning all of my financial stuff that doesn't arrive that way. That means anything that needs to be kept. I don't keep the receipts for groceries once they hit the credit card statement correctly.
I also have a fire-proof box for important papers.
My neighbor just plowed the snow again from my drive. Will this winter please get over so I can see my yard again?
I only attended one concert last year and that was David Crosby. Last evening, he announced his spring tour. He's coming to Milwaukee. I am in possession of a ticket. He tours with two different bands. This is the band I saw him with 3 years ago. I am looking forward to May.
Lucy went to the vet yesterday and is healthy. She got her distemper shot. It's hard to believe that I have had her almost 7 years. The vet said in two years he would like to run a blood panel because kidney disease starts showing up in blood work at about that age and is much easier to treat before it's a full blown emergency.
I really like these small town vets. I met the office cat. He's a big boy that greeted me at the car and definitely wanted some petting. The practice is interesting to me because they not only see pets like cats and dogs, they treat farm animals. They do have the office areas separate for the large animals.
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finnime
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Post by finnime on Feb 20, 2019 18:53:47 GMT -5
That does help, Knee Deep in Water Chloe, TY. Alphabetically isn't a natural fit for most of my papers either. I, too, have sections of papers that need their own space, such as divorce-related papers (the X-Files) and those that come from my mother's estate - I was a co-trustee of her property. Think I'll just put those in their own portable box file until I'm ready to be done with them. Guess I should get a fire-proof safe for vital documents. Marriage certificate, divorce decree, death certificates for parents, birth certificates, SS cards, passports, car and property titles, one copy of will and trust and a list of life insurance policies. I'll keep a separate file for Franklin the Dog. Good grief, I have been holding onto so much useless crap. I guess people who commit tax fraud really need to hold onto their paperwork!
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Feb 20, 2019 20:01:08 GMT -5
I guess people who commit tax fraud really need to hold onto their paperwork! I'm a retired Internal Revenue Agent. While the statute says the IRS can go back forever for tax fraud, in reality, it's usually 6 years. The paper trail starts to no longer exist the older longer away from the act that occurred. I was the civil fraud coordinator for several years and I don't recall a case where we went back civilly more than 6 years. For it to be criminal, it has to be a lot of bucks because it is not cheap to build the case and go to court. Yes, I've testified in court about how numbers were determined and where we found evidence.
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CCL
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Post by CCL on Feb 20, 2019 20:10:26 GMT -5
I download all the tax forms I can. All my other tax paperwork gets scanned and saved electronically. I still have every bit of tax paperwork since my first job back in the '70s, but at least it's on my computer and not in a box. That's probably the only paperwork I'm actually done with.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Feb 21, 2019 10:26:10 GMT -5
I suck at organizing too. I can get the upstairs company ready pretty quickly most days (which is a huge improvement), but my cabinets, drawers, and closets are a mess. I've really thought about hiring an organizer to come in and help me set up a system I can keep up on my own. A newer friend of mine used to do that for a living so I might see if she wants a side gig to come help me out.
I really need to figure out what to do with non-monthly paper and bills. Those end up in piles in various places and let's just say...it's not good.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Feb 21, 2019 10:45:13 GMT -5
This weekend Home- Shitepile/Sat+Sun Work- MSc: mark 12 essays/Fri
- skype with P/Fri - Job 2: mark 3 late essays I'm basically on vacation for 10 days! I have one skype lesson tomorrow, and one professor class on Mon, but that's it. And not much marking either!
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finnime
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Post by finnime on Feb 21, 2019 10:46:36 GMT -5
raeoflyte, ma sœur de race! Except I'd be embarrassed at having someone wading through my piles of chaos. And it's not that I throw things willy-nilly around, it's just that there's no clear place for them to go.
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finnime
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Post by finnime on Feb 21, 2019 10:47:32 GMT -5
Enjoy your time off, debthaven. When are you leaving for the U.S.?
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Feb 21, 2019 10:49:54 GMT -5
in late April ... not yet.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Feb 21, 2019 11:07:28 GMT -5
Except I'd be embarrassed at having someone wading through my piles of chaos.
My sister did this last summer and fall (she actually took her DD's cleaner to help her). She is thrilled with the result!
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