Purging Paper Files! What to Keep - What to get rid of!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 มิ.ย. 2024
- If paper clutter is closing in on you or your file cabinets are bursting… then today's video is for you! We're going to talk about Purging Paper Files! What to Keep - What to get rid of! And I even have a free download listing specific timeframes to keep certain documents.
You can download the 'Paper Clutter - What to keep what to get rid of' list here:
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Let me know what other checklists, worksheets, or planners YOU'D like to see. And thanks for watching today. :)
I am hooked on Happy Planner but I am interested in seeing other planners that can be personalized like HP, by moving pages, adding inserts, etc.
Oh dear! My nemesis - paper clutter! I put my shredder by the door where I come in so I can immediately shred junk mail.
We do the same thing... it doesn't get beyond the door! LOL
@@TheCraftyOrganizer that’s the only way I can stay ahead of it. I have several boxes ready to go to the shredders from my decluttering!
Paper clutter is my struggle. I have gone paperless as much as possible and also have auto pay for my bills. I now need to get to work on the paper clutter because it is so overwhelming. Your video had really good suggestions. TFS
Glad it was helpful. :)
Your craft room is beautiful
Thank you so much!
I'm always excited to see your videos.
I have a pretty simple life.... In my file I do categories by doctor, auto, credit cards etc alphabetically. When I file something I put it at the front of each category.
It recommend making copies of receipts you're keeping as they fade with time (keeping the original with the copy)..
Ty Norrine
What a great tip!!!! You're right, that thermal paper fades and is useless later. Thanks, Vaye!!!
Your video was very informing. Most of my papers are now “paperless” . I can print a copy of a bank statement, insurance policies, utility bills, misc. bills by going online. For warranties, I also send in the warranty card creating an account with the company. Lastly , I use autopay for most of my bills. Maybe this is not for everyone, but has certainly saved me time and lessened the clutter.
I agree - I am paperless with most things - those older files were nagging at my organizing brain all of the time! LOL
Even though I know we can access so much online, I still like the hard copies. Oof. Paper hoarder? Thanks Norrine!
I'm the same way!!! I need to hold paper to understand what I've read. No idea why!!
Excellent video full of great tips! I'm paranoid though, I don't let *anything* that could identify me out of my sight, and I shred everything myself. That includes anything even with just my name and address on it, as that proves I'm a real person at a real location and there are so many things scammers can do with just that bit of information. I've caught dumpster divers at my old apartment complex fishing paperwork out of the trash. I work in a law firm and we have locked bins for highly confidential shredding, and I routinely see the building's janitorial service come in, unlock the bins, and dump the contents in the trash bin (NOT even in the recycle bin) that goes who knows where! That immediately got reported to the managing partner, but I'm not sure what's been done about it. So, I bought myself a decent shredder for about $300 and cross-cut shred everything myself. Thanks for another great video! 👍💖
Freedom Filer, right?? Got that maybe 13 years ago and I'm still using physical parts of it as well as the system(s) behind it.
...and keeping everyone's records straight but your own? Yup... balanced a million dollar company to the penny every week but my teeny tiny little checking account was a mess! ...the heck?
Lovely to see you on this Tuesday evening 😀 XOX 😁❤🏜
Right???? Why do our brains work like that?!?!? LOL
So many great ideas! Somehow I managed to burn-out my shredder. Note to self, marathon shredding sessions with a budget friendly shredder isn't wise. I will purchase a better shredder once back in my home but for now I tear pages into quarters, toss everything into a 5 gallon bucket and add ⅔ water to ⅓ bleach. After a few days everything has turned into paper mush aka paper pulp. During warm weather the liquid evaporates quickly, the pulp can easily be added to the trash. Some schools will use paper pulp (similar to paper clay), for art-&-craft projects. Since most teachers have to supply many items for students free 'paper clay' is well received in my area.
BRILLIANT IDEA!!!!!!!!!
I burned my shredder too lol. Now my husband burns large amounts.
When I bought my shredder, I also bought a bottle of shredder oil. I just run a line of oil across the first page of every shredding session to keep the blades lubricated and shredding away.
HALELUYAH!!!! This video came on time!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!👍🏼
You are so welcome!!
I've always been puzzled as to how long to keep a document or record before purging .. and everyone has a different recommendation. I think it best to let the source set the time limit. Ex: If the power company might hold their records of payment for 90 days, keep your payment receipts for 90 days.
Omg if I had a pile of paperwork that size I'd be celebrating because I was moments from finishing... seriously I have tonnes of it! Having to manage my mums finances, probate, funeral, properties, business, solicitors, cars mine x2 and my mumsx2 , carers, extension build, accountant stuff, it's just relentless and there's only me doing it all! I'm just losing the will to live.
I have a big basket. The mail we think we need to watch goes in the basket. I throw away any junk mail. Then a few times a year, I will go through accumulated mail, open it and decide if I need to throw it away or scan it. Anything I think I might need is scanned. Invoices, receipts, EOBs, Tax info, insurance stuff investment statements. If I haven't needed to return something in a couple of months, then those old receipts can be thrown away. I keep grocery receipts for a few days and throw away. I keep clothes tags and receipts a couple of months and then throw away. If I haven't had a problem with my utilities or credit cards, after a couple of months I can throw them away. Most of my bills and statements, I get via pdf files and I download them and file them in digital folders so I don't have to keep hard copy. Anything I use to fill out my income taxes, I scan and save in digital Tax folder then I can get rid of the hard copy. My tax returns are pdf files in my digital Tax folder so I don't keep hard copies. There are those things you keep forever... mortgage documents, deeds, auto titles, life ins, birth certificates, etc. I still scan them and keep them in digital folders too. But most stuff can be shredded or burned and you don't have to keep very much paperwork if you are good to scan what you need to keep. So a few times a year I go through and pull anything I need to scan and then shred/burn the throwaways. Even warranties, manuals I will tear into sheets and scan, digitally file and throw away (be sure to scan the original receipt with your warranty/manual). I keep meticulous digital filing system so I can find by year or by topic. My Scan Snap is small, quick and easy to use. It's expensive but so worth it above my old printer/scanner. It will even scan so that the pdf is searchable. That slows it down but if you are afraid you can't find something, you might do it. I name my files and file in my digital filing system so I don't really need to slow down to a searchable pdf file.
You, my friends have your system perfected! Love your digital back ups and holding place - this eliminates searching for papers if you need them before the final decision is made. Way to go!!!!
Yayyy another video from you in a few days…. Love it! I tear up my personal detailed paperwork into small pieces and then seperate them into four piles & mix up. Then I put into 4 brown paper lunch bags. I then only throw away one at a time. So they are never in the same bin in the same week. ❤️🇦🇺
😂 I'd love to watch that person find your papers and think they will be able to piece them back together! Brilliant!!!!
I did declutter my paperwork this weekend. Probably still kept more than I needed, but I did declutter so much. Thanks for your inspiration!
That is so excited to read!!!! I'm so happy for you!!!!
Thanks for such great ideas
You are so welcome!
Such wonderful information, Norrine. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Though we have a shredder beside my hubby desk so things get shredded right away. Before we bought that I'd burn anything personal in our wood burning fireplace.
I sounds like you sold your organizing business. I remember you mentioning that you were going to do that.
Sadly, we just had to close it. Covid and changing California laws were just too much for my little business. So sad, but I am excitedly looking to the opportunities before me. :)
@@TheCraftyOrganizer I'm so sorry to hear that, Norrine. Some states have gone quite bonkers over this whole ordeal. It's hurting so many people and small businesses. It's almost like that's what they want!
I'm so sorry you had to close your business. Hopefully, there will be an open door for a new opportunity for you. Thanks for all you do online.
Hi thank you for the help , I’m still working in my garage I found so much paperwork from my business and other junk. I was just so overwhelmed I just set aside. Thanks to you I know what I can do with all this paper lol 😊 thank you so much. 👍
I'm rooting for you!!!!
Girl, you have no idea how much we needed this. My sister was a Stamp'n Up demonstrator and she passed away and we are COVERED UP with paper.
I'm so sorry for your loss. Yes, paperwork is hard... it's even HARDER when it's not yours. Let me know if you need any suggestions. 💜
I have used the Freedom Flier system for at least 2 years and absolutely love it. Thanks for all the great info!
So glad it's working for you too!
I have 2 fire proof safes, one for medical, and the other for birth certificates etc.. Everything else gets filed or shredded. great advice Norrine, ps I did get my identity stolen years ago, very careful about everything paper related now.
I'm so sorry you went through that. I've had cards cyber stolen, but so far (knock on wood) no identity theft.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
Interesting to hear about your paper war 🤣. I’m in New Zealand, we no longer have cheque books and most utility bills are now electronic. So lucky to have systems that have reduced the paper clutter
That's wonderful!! I'd say my clients are about 70% there....
What a fantastic informational and motivating video! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and expertise.
So happy it was helpful! 💜
Great video. I have a stack of papers I have been procrastinating on organizing. Also, stock certificates should be added to the permanent record list. I am having a hard time selling some stocks because I don't have the paper certificates and there are a lot of hoops to jump through to get them.
Great tip! Hope you find them so you can sell them!
@@TheCraftyOrganizer Thanks!
Well done
Thanx dear😀😊
Most welcome 😊
You are definitely related to me. The first sentence you said, totally describes my life, in a nut shell. I am so over it, already.
Ms. L. Churchill
LOL Try the super short sessions. See if they work for you.
Very timely! I just went through a stack of papers today and threw out a lot, but now have to deal with what's left. I may now go through the remaining ones again and toss more! I love the "10-minutes-a-day" rule!
You are a rock star!!!!
So needed this I have a small bin of stuff to file but now hope I won’t have as much.
Your craft room is spectacular. I saw it as you were rearranging it and building it. But just step back now and take a good look. It’s wonderful. So so nice. I’m happy for you! 🌹👍🏼💕💕💕✌🏻
Thanks, Pam!!!! I do love it out here.
That guy's fingers when using the shredder...
Baaaahahahah Those were MY fingers!
Sue Wolfe- We shred anything with our address, name, etc., as well and have for years. We're on our 3rd shredder! I was told by my accountant that it is important to keep taxes from the year you purchase a home until the tax year in which you sell it. We also keep the loan purchase documents and receipts for improvements made.
What?!?!?! I'd love to learn his reasoning for this - THAT could be a lot of paperwork to hold on to!!!!
Great information as always.💕💕
Tfs! Love the informatiom
Great ideas. Looking forward to the cardboard box video!
Coming soon!
Fantastic ❤🎉
Glad it was helpful!
OMG!!! You don't know how badly I need this! Thank-you.
Glad it was helpful!
@@TheCraftyOrganizer it will be! I have been staring at a box of papers for weeks. What do you do if you only get bank statements online?
Thank you so much, I'm a caregiver so it's very hard to manage my files...I'm planning to print your document and work in my home office...I know only 10 minutes a day...and hopefully I can get back on track.
Consider me your personal cheerleader and giver of suggestions! Keep me posted! 💜
Grrat info! Btw - Luv your updated craft area! Gorgeous!
Thanks so much!
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!! I keep so everything just because I wasn't sure how long I "should" hold onto it. I still have receipts from 3 yrs ago, utility bills from about 5 yrs ago.
So glad I could help!!! Let all of those old, no longer needed, items go to a shredding/bon fire/mulching event. :)
well done Norrine! love your tips
Thanks so much, Naomi! Hope you are doing well. 😊
Thank you for the downloads
You are so welcome!
Great suggestions! The printable is wonderful, after my move when I have my printer it's going to be one of the first things I download. And I'm really excited about the 3 years for Taxes.Namaste ✌️🥰🐞🤗
Great video and very informative. 💕
Glad it was helpful!
Great advice Noreen. Thank you for sharing
You are so welcome!!!!
I was reminded of something yesterday. Keep any syllabi or course outlines from your college or university days. If you ever go back to school and the program you enter has a similar class to one you took before, you’ll need to submit your course outline for that class for evaluation so the administrators can decide whether you can have credit for that class or not.
Wow!!! That is a great tip! And one I'd not thought of nor read about. Great info, Wesley! Thank you!
I also have loads of old syllabi, course schedules and even handouts.
Sometimes when I get hired at the last minute I can't quickly create that information and it's useful to have "templates"!
I find that scanning everything creates clutter on my computer and I can't always find what I need quickly. (you have to remember what exactly you called it, where you filed it and even what browser to look in.
@@curious1366 Agreed. And that’s not even taking into account hardware failures like crashes hard drives, lost USB drives and forgotten passwords.
Thanks for the update.
😘
Thank you so much! This was very helpful!
I'm so glad!
Great idea. Downloaded and printed your checklist.
Tfs.
Yay! You are welcome!
So much help!
SO glad it was helpful. :)
Thank you so much for the free worksheet!
You're so welcome!
Thank you for the free download. Love your videos. They are very informative.
You are welcome!
Hi Norrine.
Hello my friend! Have you been safe through Ida?? Email me: Norrine@Crafty-Organizer.com
Definitely a project that I need to do but honestly will wait till the weather is rainy so that I don't feel guilty about missing a nice day! Once it starts raining here it's usually for a few days in a row. When I worked we used Iron Mountain here in Canada and they were really great! I do have my own shredder and find it very handy! Thanks for sharing!
I'm looking forward to a good rainy day!!! I agree, enjoy the nice weather while you can. :)
Thank you so much.
Thanks for watching, Jackie!
U are a life saver this video was right on time for me and extremely helpful I feel better knowing that my 10-15min clean up time is logical I could not get a project finished working straight through but I do get motivated when I know I have a starting point and a ending point ❤️❤️❤️
That ending point is really helpful to me as well. So glad you liked it!
Thank you so much for this. I live in a one bedroom apt so I have no room for all the papers I have currently! The tax info is very helpful. I guess my biggest problem was not knowing what I could get rid of, so things just piled up and up and up! I will get started going through everything and setting up a system and we'll see how that goes! Thanks again!
You are so welcome! Small sessions are the life saver! I hate paperwork - but only having to do it for 10 min was totally doable. (to me, anyway) Good luck!
You are a wealth of information! Personally, almost everything I have is electronic. I can go back years on my banking and utilities electronically.
That REALLY is the best way to do it!!! :) Well done!
Until they get hacked. (Or power outages).
Don't you worry about that?
What great information, since I never know how long to keep an item. So, I end up with mountains of paper. If my husband does the filing, he throws everything out! It's frustrating when there are manuals in there that me might need. Thank you so much for the printable.
Hope it's helpful. 💜
Love your videos! I was really surprised by the three-year IRS limit.
Because I have a tendency to overthink and over categorize (and not actually start), I’d like to see a main guide with one(?) level of subcategories for paper organization.
Thanks again and keep up the good work!
I was really surprised too!!!! Did you get the download?? Let me know if it helps or if you need something else. :)
@@TheCraftyOrganizer saw the download, thanks! You mentioned Finance and Banking, but are these categories or subcategories and what is the difference? That’s the kind if information I’d like.
I watched this back in Sept. and appreciate the information. Some was a reminder and lots was new to me. I decided then that this would be my New Year's Resolution because I've been putting it off for so long. Since I moved in with my daughter & her family 14 years ago I have really let things slide. It's so much more fun to make cards & things to sell in a local shop than to file and sort! My craft room is a shambles and even my file cabinets were buried behind 'stuff'. My daughter gave me 2 days of her time over Christmas break to rearrange the cubbies and things in my area and it has been the best gift ever. Things are arranged and now I'm using your info in this video to finally get my paper clutter in hand. Thanks Norrine!. Happy New Year!
What an amazing gift from your daughter!!!! And a great resolution goal!!!!! Please keep me posted on your progress :)
Thanks, Norrine. I just bought a new shredder cuz I've worn out another one :/ I shred anything with my name on it...especially medical documents and social security papers. I try to keep up with it once a month....mainly because routine paperwork is soooooo boring. That way I don't have to look at a big pile of paper for too long but I'm not looking at it every day....that would make me crazy!
Well done! I often hear of people with little kids around who let them do it - they seem to think it's fun! LOL Enjoy the new shredder :)
I despise this task. I will break it up into segments like you suggested.
Let me know how it goes.
Thanks!
Wow!!! Thank you, Witchy Krafting Mama!!!!!
Wow!
I've never seen anyone do the sticker thing inside of the YT comment section. I've only seen it in live sessions!
Thanks for showing me something new!
❤️
To add to your big purchase receipts- make a copy, and put that with the item instead of the original receipt. The original will fade, where the copy won’t.
I've noticed the thermal paper so many stores are using fades!!! That's a great tip, Heather. Thank you!!!
How about receipts of expenses on house through the years to deduct if you sell home as to avoid paying capital gains?
I have had a shredder for years, tried to talk my kids into getting one, they didnt think they needed it. I got them one for Christmas
years ago and they have always kept one. I trust no one
So true!!!
What about the explanation of benefits you get from your health insurance companies?
There wese so many words I don't know because I'm not American. But thanks for trying. I'm trying to fiqure out what I can throw away :P
Great tips! I just subbed to your newsletter. 😁
I do a lot of craft projects because I'm on design teams. I try to keep myself organized on when everything is due, but notebook type organizers don't help me. Any suggestions?
How are you at using your phone calendar? I find when I'm no longer looking at my schedule/planner, it' helps me to start putting reminders in my phone for the day BEFORE I need/want to do something. That jogs my brain to gear up for it! :)
@@TheCraftyOrganizer I have used it and why I stopped I don't know. Things have been hectic while going through treatment. But I will try that again. Thank you so much! 🥰
Hang on to those divorce papers as well. These are especially important in the event of death and estate distribution.
I totally meant to say that!!!! I've had to pull mine out so many times! Thanks!
Thanks noreen. Help us with email files. Argh
That's a great one! I'll see what I can do!
I'm trying my best to declutter paper but no matter what I do, I continue to feel overwhelmed 😪 Also, overwhelmed with craft supplies that I don't have time to use. I don't know how to organize them as I do not have space in my small bedroom.
I know this sounds silly - but be kinder to yourself. Put blinders on and just focus on a small pile at a time. It adds up!!!!! I'm rooting for you and am happy to offer suggestions whenever I can.
@@TheCraftyOrganizer Thank you.
I know how you feel....Me and my husband live with his parents so we only have our bedroom for all of our stuff. I turned one little corner into my craft/sewing area. I bought a used sewing cabinet for $50, and zip tied six of the mini plastic crates together from Walmart that are $1 each and hung them on the wall above it along with some hooks for my craft supplies
At 5:35 she gets into the main topic.
Sorry you were disappointed. For many, seeing how to get through the paperwork with discard options is helpful. Hope you found another video that fit your needs. 😊
Where can I get the printable?
www.Crafty-Organizer.com under Crafty Organizer Merch and Downloads. :)
Wills should never be keep in a safe deposit box. Banks have been known to lock safe deposit boxes, after a persons death.
OMGosh! Great point, MemeCat 2! Thank you for pointing that out!
Your download isn't good.