Spring Cleaning: Paperwork Edition!
When it comes to handling the piles of paperwork that continue to invade our home, what is your personality type? “When in Doubt, Throw it Out”? “A Place for Everything, and Everything in its Place”? Or, what seems to be the most popular, “Hold on to Everything Until it Overwhelms Me and Ends Up Tossed into a Deep Dark Closet”?
No matter where you are on the paperwork spectrum, we want to help you tackle your piles, clear out the clutter, and bring peace to your home!
Gather Together and Sort
Search your home for all the places any paperwork is placed, being sure to check bags, countertops, drawers, and any entryway nooks.
Find an out-of-the-way area where you can gather it all without being disruptive.
Categorize each item into separate piles, such as bills, receipts, important documents, tax documents, and to-be-shredded (invest in a quality shredder or use a reputable shredding service for peace of mind)!
What to Keep and What to Toss
Toss Immediately - Most junk mail, and all marketing inserts that come with your bills (shred anything with personal information).
Keep for a Month - Receipts from ATMs or recent purchases (except for any large items, those with warranties, or anything tax-deductible). Place these in an easily-accessible folder, with newest items on top, and set a reminder to go through these a certain day each month.
Keep for a Year - Utility bills (or until end-of-year consolidation statements arrive), including cell phone and internet/streaming services. Also keep brokerage and Social Security statements, pay stubs, and any statements from financial institutions, etc.
Keep for 7 Years - Tax returns/documents; charitable donations; 401(k) year-end statements; investment records; flexible-spending documents; records for child-care and any previously owned property, etc.
Keep for as Long as You Own It - Titles/deeds; home renovations/investments receipts; insurance policies; receipts for important purchases, such as art and jewelry, etc.
Keep Forever - Anything that should be stored in a safe-deposit box or fireproof safe (these vary depending on your situation, but can include items like: wills/living trusts; birth certificates; passports; power of attorney; current deeds and insurance policies; financial aid documents; bank statements, etc.) Talk to your financial advisor about what to keep for your specific circumstances.
And always remember to shred any personal documents once you are confident they are ready to be tossed!
File and Store
Invest in a fireproof safe and/or safe deposit box for your most essential items (financial experts also recommend making copies of these items and storing them in another safe place).
File the rest away in clearly labeled folders and stored in a file cabinet or even a sturdy file box that fits under a bed or in any easily-accessed closet.
Keep in mind that many important documents can also now be stored digitally or in the cloud—research best practices if this works well for you.
Brighten Up and Incentivize Your Workspace
Workspaces that are easy on the eye are much simpler to keep neat and help ensure this space stays clutter-free (as much as possible in our crazy lives!).
If you already have a designated desk, add a few quality paper trays and organizer tools to make a place for everything.
Invest in one or two cute items that make you happy: a small piece of art, one of your kids’ drawings, a real (or faux!) plant, vacation photos, or even a mood board—whatever brings you joy, but doesn’t take up much room. If possible, hang these up on the nearest wall or place on a bookcase nearby to clear up horizontal space.
If you’re tight on space, designate a corner of the kitchen counter, a bedroom dresser or even an entryway drawer to store your paperwork. Just use folders and trays to keep it all organized, and set reminders to go through them at least once a month!
Spring cleaning piles of paperwork—though perhaps not high on your list of favorite activities—is a super-effective way to order our lives, enhance our workspaces, and bring an awesome sense of accomplishment. If this is an area where you would appreciate more support and encouragement, please reach out to us, we’d love to bring help to your home through customized organization. Just click the button below.
Cheers!
Your MHS Team
