I need an organizational intervention

There are three rooms in my house I should just blow up.

Stuff..not organized.

Starting with my office, there's stuff everywhere..papers, random other crap.

My feeling is to pull everything out of there (cause doing the organizing in there is impossible) and making piles of stuff..keep, shred, throw out and a maybe pile.

After everything is shredded and thrown out I guess I will be left with a pile of papers to file (keep), stuff to keep and I will have to find a home for and the maybe pile of stuff and papers to decide on.

Can someone help me think this through. Any advice about how to start, stay motivated and re-org?

Re: I need an organizational intervention

I say do it first thing in the morning when you have a few hours to kill. Make a nice hot cup of coffee, turn on the music, and go to work.

You have the right idea. Shred anything that can be thrown out. Save only the important papers in a filing cabinet.

I have a folder for each of my bills when they get paid (Lipa, mortgage, etc) and after a year I shred the old ones and fill with the current ones.

I also have a bill organizer on my desk. This post is actually making me realize I should purge my files too now.

Re: I need an organizational intervention

I have to break things down into specific tasks or sections otherwise it becomes overwhelming. When I did the desk - I did one drawer at a time then I tackled the over head cabinets on the hutch.

I started with paperwork.

I recycled old phone, utility and cable bills plus all those old papers I held onto for one stupid reason or another I can no longer remember.

I shredded all the old credit card bills or other documents with bank account numbers or social security numbers. I actually set the shredding aside and did this over the course of a few evenings because I didn't want to burn out the shredder.

I set up new files for anything important - tax returns, medical information, major purchases, etc. I bought a label maker that makes it look so neat & orderly.

Then it was computer stuff:
I tossed excess crap like extra mice and mouse pads, the 2313454 USB cables that some how accumulated.
I matched up old phones with their chargers and accessories so I can donate them.
Recycled old computer & software manuals.

Then I did office supplies:
do all the pens write?
am I ever going to use this spindle of CDs?

and so on.

Re: I need an organizational intervention

Posted by Christine

I have to break things down into specific tasks or sections otherwise it becomes overwhelming. When I did the desk - I did one drawer at a time then I tackled the over head cabinets on the hutch.

I started with paperwork.

I recycled old phone, utility and cable bills plus all those old papers I held onto for one stupid reason or another I can no longer remember.

I shredded all the old credit card bills or other documents with bank account numbers or social security numbers. I actually set the shredding aside and did this over the course of a few evenings because I didn't want to burn out the shredder.

I set up new files for anything important - tax returns, medical information, major purchases, etc. I bought a label maker that makes it look so neat & orderly.

Then it was computer stuff:
I tossed excess crap like extra mice and mouse pads, the 2313454 USB cables that some how accumulated.
I matched up old phones with their chargers and accessories so I can donate them.
Recycled old computer & software manuals.

Then I did office supplies:
do all the pens write?
am I ever going to use this spindle of CDs?

and so on.

Re: I need an organizational intervention

Posted by Diana1215

I say do it first thing in the morning when you have a few hours to kill. Make a nice hot cup of coffee, turn on the music, and go to work.

You have the right idea. Shred anything that can be thrown out. Save only the important papers in a filing cabinet.

I have a folder for each of my bills when they get paid (Lipa, mortgage, etc) and after a year I shred the old ones and fill with the current ones.

I also have a bill organizer on my desk. This post is actually making me realize I should purge my files too now.