For this week’s Project Simplify project, I decided to tackle the paper pile that continually grows, gets cleaned off, and reappears on my kitchen counter. This coincides with the two junk drawers in the kitchen as well. I have tried to get a system for paper, but just haven’t created or maintained a good space to handle it all. The plan has been to keep papers in one of the buffet drawers, but it’s just been a big mess. And I end up keeping a constant pile of papers on the counter that I don’t want to forget about. Here are a few Before pictures.
My kitchen counter which ends up being the catch-all for paper and junk
The junk drawers where papers get placed after being moved from the kitchen counter. This is in the middle of me cleaning them out.
After thinking through the system, I decided to get the paper out of the buffet drawer. The drawer on the right still serves to hold various things, but I did clean it out and re-organize it.
No more paper! And since I freed up a drawer, I decided to spread out some utensils from another drawer that I frequently can't even open because it's so crammed!
Now, I can actually see what's in this drawer and it opens and closes without things getting caught! Ummm, I can't believe all that other stuff was in this one drawer!
Now for the new Paper Plan:
I bought some cute folders - 6 for $1.99. Not because I don't have a whole box of plain folders upstairs, but because cute is so much more motivating, isn't it?
All the papers (bills, coupons, invitations, cards, receipts, etc.) are now in categorized folders in this notebook. And there's a small bowl beside the notebook to hold all those random things I find throughout the day (hairbows, rubber bands, little toy pieces, etc.), most of which comes out of Ellis' mouth!
I still want a nicer looking solution than just this notebook sitting on my counter. And counter space is a hot commodity in my house, so after some productive conversation with my mom today (my decorating and organizing consultant), I’m hoping to add a small piece of furniture with some drawers here:
So my counter can look like this:
I would love to see how you organize the paper that comes into your house. Leave a comment! We all need ideas!
What a great job! I don’t have a good system for paper either. I never know what I need to keep, and what I can trash. It gets complicated because we have rented out an apartment in our house for the past 5 years (not anymore though), so I know I need to keep a lot of obscure bills other people don’t need – like the electricity bill and old phone bills
I think that you could find a great piece of furniture to go in that corner! Or maybe you will win the neatdesk, and not need a paper solution at all!
Yes, I have a hard time knowing how far back to keep certain papers. I’ve let go of a lot of it when I realized I’ve NEVER gone back into some of those files to look at any of those papers. And, yes, a NeatDesk would be awesome!!
Oo, oo, oo! I know! Dave Ramsey has a list of important documents and how long to keep them. I put it in our file folder of bills to keep it handy. http://www.daveramsey.com/article/organizing-your-important-documents/lifeandmoney_other/
Also, I like your folders! And it’s totally more motivating when you have something cute to work with.
Thank you Steph!! My filing cabinets are on my list to organize soon. This is super helpful!
I agree that pretty is definitely more motivating! I recently organized our bills into a binder system: http://www.vanessasvalues.blogspot.com/2012/03/organize-and-declutter-2012-how-to.html This system is working really well for us so far. I’m so excited to have bills stored in one place where they can’t get lost or forgotten. My next project – organizing recipes!
Yes! You have a great system for your bills. Your binder looks great! We have gone about 99% online with paying bills, so they are just scheduled. So, when I get a paper copy I just make sure they will be paid online and throw it away. I’ve stopped keeping so many months of copies of bills since I can get most anything online.
Oh, Vanessa! I’m excited to see what you do with recipes. My recipe drawer is the one place in my kitchen that’s a disaster!
I dream of my kitchen counter being clear too!! I love your beautiful folders–I may try that too!
Yes, Paula, something about that kitchen counter being clean makes me feel so much better when I walk in there! Thanks!
I’m sooooo glad to see I’m not the only one drowning in papers! Great Job…and love the honesty of ‘real life’.
Kimberly, you’re definitely not alone!
I’ve noticed a huge difference in our paper clutter when I deal with it right away. I try to make it a habit to sort through mail as soon as I bring it in the house: junk mail (recycling), bills (letter tray by computer), something that need to be filed (filing cabinet), invitations (often put on our fridge with a magnet…need a better system for that), coupons (coupon box) and magazines (my bedside table). I also did the same thing you did, Stacey, and purged all the bills I’ve held onto for a year or more. I throw out almost all bills now as soon as their paid. I hate our filing cabinet in our bedroom so I’m thinking of either a way to get it out completely or to make it cuter.
Good thoughts here!
Yes, Dana, I really try to keep to the principle of touching a piece of mail only once – taking care if it as soon as it comes in. With the filing cabinet, I’m trying to keep it minimal what I file. You’re really good st making things cuter.
. Or I wonder if you could get a file box to keep under the bed/in the closet, or get some sort of table for your bedside table that has a file drawer in it.
I love the way you organized the mail so far! I saw one solution last week but I can’t remember the blog it was from. I’m still looking for a hanging incoming mail thing like hers though. She has a combo hanging on the wall thing (technical term for it, lol) for magazines and such, and on the counter sits a basket wide enough for file folders for the coupons, school papers and such. Now that I think of it though I may put folders in my household control journal for bills and coupons etc, similar to your binder. If I don’t file papers immediately it doesnt get done.
Yes, Dottie, I think I know what you’re talking about. I looked at a some options for the wall, but I dont have a good inconspicuous place for it. I just like the clutter to be hidden.