The Home “In-Box”

Household paperwork can add up on a daily basis. Before you know it, your kitchen table has become a gigantic in-box of paperwork and clutter. This includes kid’s school stuff, bills, catalogues, invitations, coupons, statements, church, PTA stuff, and more. Here’s how to manage the household paperwork.

1. Create a central area in your home for dealing with your mail and incoming paperwork. This “mail center” should include an in box (tray, basket, etc.), your tools for paying bills (checkbook, envelopes, stamps, etc.), a small filing system (find these at Wal-Mart or Target…could be plastic), some folders with labels to be kept in a drawer or small filing system and a trash can or shredder (the most important tool for this).
2. All paperwork such as mail, school papers, etc. goes in the in-tray. Remove mail from envelopes immediately and toss these in the trash along with all junk mail.
3. Pay bills immediately on line or with checkbook or put bills in separate file by future bill pay date.
4. For papers that contain due dates, enter into your calendar such as outlook, Google, Gmail or Covey. Kid’s events, meetings, other important dates should be recorded on a calendar. Invites can be tossed once dates are recorded. For items that need to be delegated to someone else in the household, give it to them.
5. File items into your simple filing system. Folders are labeled by categories that work for you. Keep a stack of unused folders in your mail center for adding a new category when needed. File quickly and don’t let it pile up. Toss unneeded papers. File folders could be placed in a tall basket as an option to the file cabinet. Be creative.
6. If you think you need to keep statements, file away, but be sure to toss prior month statement. Most of this information can be found on-line so toss.
7. Follow my earlier post for dealing with magazines.

Do this simple process once daily. Folders need to be worked by taking action or purging weekly or monthly. But the key is to make time daily for your “mail center” and work / purge folders periodically. Papers should always be in the in-box or filing system and not all over the house! Touch it once and then toss. This systematic process will reduce clutter paperwork.