PAPER PILES SOLVED! 3 Bins Change Everything!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ก.ย. 2024
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Since I have been following you. I don’t have paper clutter. I have a bin with a lid in my closet. The stuff I am keeping goes in there. The rest gets shredded right when it comes in the house. I love this. I do some volunteer stuff that has paper work. I have a file box I put that stuff in. This makes it so easy for me. 😊
Hi Dawn, loved this vid! I live in Australia, and our target here doesn’t have those acrylic bins available, do you have any recommendations for something similar?
@@rachelleramos2899 hey Bunnings has Boxsweden stacking clear acrylic tubs kind of similar i find the acrylic drawers drawers work and stack well. Kmart has similar clear acrylic tubs and also nice stackable drawers that are about A4 too. :) I even use them in the fridge now 😊
I started using Hello Fresh when you gave us a code for reduced price last October and have used it since! It is so great that I could try it out at a reduced price to get myself over the threshold of trying it out. Thanks!
The code is expired or doesn't work. Sad face
I have two large rooms filled with papers to go through, file and pitch: mine, hubby’s, our’s together, our parents, our family trust, rent houses, etc, etc. I am completely overwhelmed!!! Hubby is chronically ill, parents have all passed, so it’s only me. Y’all…please pray for me. I am trying to sort it at least three times per week. I’m decluttering the house too. Care for my hubby is 24/7. I rely on prayer to keep from being completely overwhelmed but I have an overwhelming task on my shoulders. Dawn’s positivity helps so much. 🥰
I had about 20 years of paperwork build-up due to moving 5 times, along with working full time and studying. It was overwhelming and I kept looking at it and walking away. I sat on the floor with a shredder, a bin, files and paper clutter video on TH-cam. All I can say is getting the no longer necessary to keep out of your front door makes a big difference and helps you to see how much you have achieved. It gets easier and quicker to do each time. Good luck with yours.
I feel you! My husband and I are both having health problems, and it has become difficult to sort through our huge stacks of paper. My message to young people is to get this under control while you are young!
@MWebb you got this! Just start, that’s the most important part. One paper at a time.
My prayers are with you all. I have struggled with paper clutter for ever. Dawn has helped in many ways. We are empty nesters and I don’t want to leave my children a mess.
Hang in there friend and keep relying on the Lord for strength! Praying for you right now for focus, endurance, and abundant peace ❤️
Hi Dawn, I'm not your typical demographic; I'm single, no kids, likely old enough to be your mother, but I really have been enjoying your down-to-earth style of teaching minimalism. I follow Courtney Carver, Joshua Becker, The Minimalists as well. Your approach has been a breath of fresh air to my minimalism journey. I have a time will tell cabinet in the kitchen, and a bin in the utility room for all the random "stuff" that creeps in the house. In the past I've tried a file folder method, but the large time will tell bin could make a huge difference in paper management. I appreciate the kind encouragement and your "no shame" approach. Keep up the good work!
Maybe we’re not as untypical as we think 😂 … I’m also single, no kids, and will be 55 at the end of the year. And I appreciate this channel and I really appreciate Dana as well and some others. ❤
Another one of us! I'm 66, just retired, not married, no kids. After a secretariat career that involved so much paperwork, it's the last thing I want to deal with at home.
Yep, I'm in your demographic 'camp', too!
I also am not what I think her typical demographic is… 55, married… kids are adults and one of the three lives with us full time (but he is completely independent and also - by far - more minimalist than my husband and I.) My husband and I are not minimalists, but I so appreciate all Dawn’s ideas and advice as I think through inventory management and silent to do lists, etc!!
Single, no kids, 58 yr old disorganized hot mess. Trying to get it together and struggling.
Hi Dawn! 😊
I’m not a mom or a wife, but I just wanted you to know how much your videos have helped me. I have learned so much from all of your advice and tips!
But one of the real reasons I love your channel is your bright cherry attitude. 😊😊 There are times when my depression gets the best of me, but I will turn on your channel and those bright eyes and that smile makes me feel a little better. Thank you for your channel 🙏 and thank you for what you do. God bless. ✨✨
Same here! Dawn and Tom always uplift me!
Not sure you're situation as far as ever wanting to be a wife or mother, but I do think if you have those plans for your future and you just happened to find Dawn ahead time, wow, that is awesome. If I would have had all the knowledge and tools prior to creating my family I would have been so much further ahead. And if that's you, that's super exciting and good for you!!!
I hear ya there.
I also love Dawn's cheerful positive attitude too..
😊
I have my own problems with depression so I understand where you’re coming from. Dawn is so cheerful and I feel as if she’s really talking to me as a good friend.
She is quite the ray of sunshine 🌞
I took your first Take Your House Back course and no longer have a Time Will Tell bin. I stand next to the recycle bin when I sort the mail and place the few items that need action into a red folder that I tackle once a week. 10 minutes tops. Thank you for your wisdom that has given my life so much freedom and peace. You have been a Godsend!
Same here. 😊
Me too - I sit in my car when I pick up the mail (central box) and sort - then I walk from my garage to recycle bin and toss - I usually have ONLY ONE piece coming into the house - soooo much garbage ...you would think that as we stream line (on line banking for example) we would get less junk in the mail - WHO USES SNAIL MAIL ANYMORE :) glenda
About to start with the “ Time Will Tell” bin! I am so grateful to Dawn! I think this one think will be my saving grace as far as my life long struggle with PAPER
“You can do this! You have done much harder things than deal with paper clutter!”
Thankyou Dawn ❤❤❤❤
When I worked as a Legal Secretary, my desk/office area was always so neat. Even personal files I kept there were always tabbed, organized and neat. My house, on the other hand, was totally out of control with paper. Now I've been retired for years and in my current home for 18 years (which is twice as big as the home I had) and the paper is still out of hand. Right now, I'm working on a huge bin of papers and my biggest cheerleader is my Granddaughter (14 who lives with me), who tells me just to deal with what I can control at the moment (kind of like your "don't blame yourself" advice). I think she's more mature than I am.🤣
😂😂😂
I used to have boxes and boxes of papers I mean it used to be way out of control. What helped me was sorting everything out into separate piles based on what the papers were and going through each separate pile when I could. But having the papers in their own categories made going through them easier. Also by doing that I could decide which category I was interested in tackling certain days. Sometimes I decide to go through one paper a day from my little piles now or more depending on my energy level and time.
A big gamechanger for my husband and I was a weekly tear-off calendar that lives on the side of the fridge. We date it several weeks out, and it serves as our work schedule, to-do list, and grocery list.
Also, 12 folders dated with the months serve as a place to put cards to be sent, upccoming concert tickets and plane/trip reservation info. Just put the item in the appropriate months folder and dig it out when its needed!
Coupons live in the drop zone by our door so we can grab if we are going to be heading out.
Bills to be paid still live on the kitchen table because we are human.
Dawn, the way you casually mentioned, "sometimes the basement gets wet," made my day. I was freaking out this morning over a bit of basement seepage from a fast melt of much snow, and your comment cheered me up. Yep, sometimes basements get wet, no biggie!! Thanks, Dawn! Inspiring as always.
Time will tell. My husband became terminal and I took over everything. Things were crazy I didn’t know what to keep or toss my neighbor gave me a deep 9x12 box to put in the office closet and told me to just put the “ I don’t know stuff” in there. When it fills, shred. It’s been 4 years. Still not full. Found one thing I really needed. But it’s such an easy system. No stress.
I’ve learned a lot from you. I created a landing zone in our entryway. Underneath are three trash type bins. One for recycling, one for garbage, and one for shredding. On top is a nice “Time will tell” tray. Next to it are the file folders, like to do, need to file, etc. There are two small drawers where I keep a letter opener, a pair of scissors and a box cutter. In the second drawer I keep baggies to take on walks with our dogs to clean up after them. It’s truly working for me! It’s a miracle. I used to have huge piles of paper everywhere! I could never find anything. I wasted so much time sifting through bins and boxes of paper! Now I know where everything is. Thank you so much!
The “ Time Will Tell” bin has been a game changer for me. I put SO many items in there. (Actually I put my “explanation of benefits” papers in there because unless there’s a problem I don’t save them). I even put unlikely to use coupons in mine. I have a cardboard box with no lid for this. It’s in my office supply closet. I also added one more tray or box called “current year” and I put things in there having to do with car repair or medical paperwork or donation receipts for end of year taxes. It’s not an overwhelming stack. I also keep a memory box near the time will tell bin so I can toss grandchild cards etc in there. “Filing” is a thing of the past. I “toss” instead!!
A game changer for me is having my filing cabinet in a closet right off my kitchen, making the "to process" bin obsolete. "Time will tell" and "to do" go into my planner until it gets too thick for my liking. 😂 Then I go through and tidy up.
Hi. Can you make a video on going through all types of paper and how you store it. You do briefly mention some of the important documents and where they would go but, I would like to know about all documents. I do feel I still keep more than I need and most importantly where would you store that stuff. Example, what do you do with and how long do you store Credit Card statements, Mortgage bills, Taxes, Utility bills, Kids artwork/school work, Car/house repairs, receipts, Medical Bills, 401K retirement statements. What is important to keep and how long do we keep it and where do we store it? A checklist or a full video would be really beneficial.
After taken care of my mom's papers for 10 years and having earned my living as an executive assistant, paperwork is one area minimalism comes naturally to me. Once statement goes into the file and the oldest statement gets shredded
I tend to add until it looks like 18 months of bills have piled in there.
I also like to keep the first bill at start of service, and one per year, or every other year, cause many utilities show the usage of several months at a time ❤️🕊️🙏
Really great system ! This is so easy to use. Thanks for making my life easier!
Why do you need paper statements at all?
@@sfowler1017 Exactly. We stopped all paper bills and everything is now online.
@@sfowler1017 To be reminded when a bill is due. =)
My paperclutter is very different. We do not receive postal items at all, so a few internal items like rent statements and a monthly newsletter. But I have been a professional calligrapher for over 40 years. A whole nother paper explosion is almost continuous! I live in a 23 square meter apartment, which is also my studio space. Often I will be working on 3 to 7 different client projects simultaneously...it gets to be a challenge with drafts, lists from clients, docs with ink drying, docs with gold leaf size drying, docs currently being hand lettered! It does feel good to garbage the used lists and client briefs once they are done! But another thing is likely my biggest challenge: I am great at writing "notes to self" all the time! Man, I find them everywhere!!!! 😀
Something that mt daughter's insisting on doing since she was young is not buying new school supplies year after year. If there's still paper left in her notebook, she insists on using the same one next year. Same with her pencil crayons that are so short they're barely useable. She insists on still using the same items. It's saved us from having a lot of school paper and other clutter in our home.
That is so cool she does that. I still have half used notebooks that I am using up from school. My kids have been out of school for 20 years!
You should buy her some pencil extenders! You can get them at art stores or stationary stores. You attach short pencils to them and makes it longer so the pencils are easy to use. They are reusable too
can she be cloned for the whole world - glenda :) congrats mom you have done very well ..
Thank you it took me 66 years to get on top of my paper clutter thanks to your help. I was drowning in paper in our office, kitchen and yes dining room table. My husband throws nothing away not even sales receipts he leaves them for me to look through! Using your suggestions I have decluttered my office and now have control over the paper that comes into my home! Retirement is looking really good at this point!
I decided to not keep and file grocery store receipts any longer. I lose about $8 a year (by not having a receipt to return a grocery item), but the lack of clutter or time spent filing them is well worth it.
Hello Dawn, I have been watching and yes, binging, for a little over a year. I was looking for some help with the overwhelm of my garage but found so much more! The garage is managed and useable, since September. My neighbors came over to admire it! Your paper clutter system has been incorporated with a couple modifications. Most of all, the freedom to just invite stuff to leave my house has been so liberating! Add me to your "it's not too late to start" fan club.
A note of caution. We have had the red file folder in use for years in our home safe. All the papers got wet! It’s a fireproof box flaw. Be sure to put a moisture absorbing bag in it and take everything out to air out regularly.
I used to have heaps of paper clutter and gallon sized ziplock bags for each year’s paperwork, plus decades of checkbook stubs and registers. Now I’ve simplified to a Sunday basket, a time will tell bin, and a small file box for long term documents. It was so awesome to take shopping bags full of paperwork to get shredded!
Where do you take them to get shredded?
@@lucindawhittenburg8835 Most office supply places have shredding available for a minimal cost ... Office Depot, Staples, etc.
I’m a long time follower and fan and your videos about paper clutter have helped tremendously. One suggestion I have specific to this video which might help some people is to divide the to-do into short and long term. There are things which have to be done within a day or two and others with a deadline in a month or so and it helps me to see the „urgent“ items easily.
Hi Dawn,
Many years ago I had a terrible paper clutter problem in our home office. I would keep every user manual, every document for each property we owned, not to mention tax documents and personal and health records. We had a somewhat elaborate organizational scheme for everything which ultimately took waaaay too much time to look through every time we needed to find or file something. AND, all the paper we were hanging on to took up so much space.
I finally became so overwhelmed that we hired a personal organizer. The two things I learned from her, and that serve me wonderfully to this day, are:
- If you can find something on the internet (like user manuals) there’s no need to keep a physical copy.
- For the things you do want a physical copy of, and you don’t need to access them frequently, use broad categories to file them in. If you think you might need to find a certain document rarely, if ever, then the 5 minutes it may take you to look through broad-category of documents it’s filed with is probably worth the time and effort you’ll save creating and maintaining a detailed organizational structure for your papers.
Hey thanks for those 2 tips. Goid info 🙂
I like these paper tips and plan to give the concepts a try. I tend to write on scraps of paper and make lists to do; the most difficult items seem to take the longest to get to because they take the longest time to solve. The red folder idea is also good. I would like to borrow a scanner one day. A good quality shredder is one of the best gifts I received that I use almost daily - a true game changer.
Even though I love organization and consider myself fairly organized, I still love your videos. It's always great to hear new ideas for keeping things neat and tidy, and your minimalism videos keep me mindful of where I can cut down too.
The Time Will Tell paper bin revolutionized our paper clutter! Thank you so much Dawn for all your insights!
Incoming paperwork is good...e-bills, sorting the mail over the recycle bin, etc., helps a lot. The hardest for me was the old paperwork no longer needed in the fire-proof box and the filing cabinet. Those were the hardest because of dealing with old legal paperwork from my mother (who passed away and the paperwork was no longer needed) and figuring out what to keep and what to toss from the filing cabinet. It took a while to get through everything (tried not to pressure of guilt myself because I knew I'd be dealing with a lot of emotions), but now that it's done and organized, I feel so much better.
I love your red file folder idea. Perfect for anyone particularly those who live in a fire or flood prone area. My motto is "handle each piece of paper once". I created a filing system so that anything that comes in that I want to keep gets filed. When a bill comes in it's paid and filed. Only takes a minute or two and I never have a pile of paper to go through. If you place it in a pile that pile has to be sorted and a decision made and then dealt with then filed or tossed. All of this takes much more time and can become overwhelming. I have one bin which I use for things that I want to keep but won't be keeping for long and don't need right now. It currently has about 10 pieces of paper in it, which are recipes ready to go into a binder.
Great organization and modeling! Thank-you, Dawn! I LOVE it! In addition, April Perry's "Ongoing Projects" file has also been a great help. That's where I put paint chips, measurements for curtains, an estimate from a contractor, etc. When I get serious about one of the projects, it sometimes warrants it's own folder. Thank-you for all your inspiration, Dawn! :-)
Thanks Dawn- paper clutter has always been a problem for me in my house BUT your videos are very helpful. And when I can actually get through one of your videos without having to PAUSE it 10 different times because everyone in my household will inevitably need to ask me 50 questions!🙄 I was up at 9am this morning, turned on this video, excited to get started on my paper clutter- it's 8:45PM now and I just FINISHED this 15 minute video!! ugh. And my husband wonders why I'm up until 2am organizing my office! I'm getting there- slowly but surely!
I found what works for me is no bins...handle mail, important paperwork right there on the spot, as it comes in, if not I leave it on top of my desk or keyboard and I make sure I take care it of right away. I have all bills on autopay and paperless statements, so I never have to pay a bill anymore. Great video none the less!
Yes, me too!! Do it now!!
I want to get more of my bills on autopay.
I find nothing gets lost this way!!
Same here. Catalogs stoped from coming, magazines too and if accidentaly comes, flip and throw away, documents in safe place etc.
I would add a ‘shredding’ tray. We keep ours in a folder but the idea is if you have important or sensitive documents that you no longer need, put them in the shredding area and then once every few months just shred everything in the tray.
Or even, as hubby pointed out to me, just shred stuff immediately, then it’s quick and easy and no big pile waiting to be done!
I needed somebody to say that!
I have a shredding tray! (Full disclosure, I also have a large, messy pile of "shredding" on the floor, as the tray is full.)
We keep our shredder next to the desk,each piece gets shredded immediately.
How about just putting a box on the floor to contain the overflow just to keep it neat . I am just starting mine and that’s prib will have to do
LOL - I have a huge shredding bag!! I have so much financial stuff from the past 15 years, and from my parents shares and investments they left me - all can now be shredded but there’s so much!
Thank you for sharing your journey! It makes it feel possible for those of us who are still messy.
3 of my 4 kids have disabilities, while they are awesome kids and I have sooo much joy, BOY am I drowning in paper. I know you have explained your paper system before but I was so excited to watch this video because this one really fixed some problems for me- 1) settings limits by these bins ( which are also beautiful and affordable) ❤❤❤ 3) clear bins so I can SEE it 2) simplicity (just something about the way you explained it this time helped me from thinking over complicated to 3 simple steps). When life is like drinking from a fire hydrant, you need SIMPLE. You need small things that bring you joy. Thanks for making my day Dawn. God bless!
I have to itemize for taxes, so I don't allow myself the "In process" bin but instead I made it bigger like your bottom bin and named it "Tax Stuff" (because I always used to lose track of all of those documents and receipts over the course of the year.) So I have three bins now : 1) To Do, 2) Tax Stuff, and 3) Time Will Tell. And I agree with you, you start making more efficient choices right away to prevent the "Time Will Tell" bin from filling up, once you realize that you won't need or even remember it in a week or a month.😆 I also have a recycling bin right by the door where the mail comes in (discreetly hidden behind a lovely large plant), and that prevents A LOT of paper from even getting past the front porch. PS: Those acrylic bins are really nice! You can see how much is in them! Great for those of us who use visual cues to stay on-task.👍
Yes! The expanding plastic folder is so helpful! We never lose those important documents... even our son when he was a baby, we kept his card in there for physical exams. Those things you need and might easily misplace (unless you have a whole filing system in place). We started ours the first year we were married and over a decade later it is still going strong.
I went through my time will tell bin while I watched the video. It's been a little too long since I looked at it. Felt good to get it cleaned out.
Thank you to you and to Cass, in the last year I feel my paper chaos is under control. I keep one file box with an urgent folder that I touch weekly, to do’s folder that is zero priority tasks I want to keep in queue, photos, taxes, etc. and of course my time will tell folder!
For retention of all the miscellaneous statements/financials/bills I file all of the years’ inbound in a 2023 folder and then bag up annually. I keep seven years and trash the oldest each January. This is all still probably a lot but I feel very controlled versus the micro filing I used to never manage.
Thank you!
Very similar system 🙌🏻
Love the clear bins !!! Went to Target and Amazon websites to try and duplicate the system but could not get the right sizes to be delivered. Does anyone have links to online items? Thank you
I´ve been on top of my important paperwork for quite some years and it´s great, but your tip about having a time-will-tell basket has been a game changer for me, it all goes in this one place and it´s wonderful not having it all over the place.
Dawn, your Hello Fresh ad was so good!!! You are a natural at making us viewers feel like we are right in your home with you! ❤
My paper clutter is much improved since taking your advice. Even with that, I still could use improvement. I sort through the things when I bring them home, and don’t set anything down until I toss the obvious trash. The remaining stuff that will need action goes into a pretty box with a magnetic flap, next to where I sit in the bed room. What I don’t have is that ‘time will tell’ bin. I usually just set that stuff on the side of the cube with the box of action stuff. Seems to be working. The one thing I do not want is to see stuff on my table just looking messy. My living room/dining room share space and I want it to look neat. It is bad enough that my planner and calendar stay on the table. It gets worse….. under the table….is a basket sitting on a Rubbermaid stool that holds all the things I need to run my day: pill caddy, little jar with pens & pencils, tablets for different purposes, letter opener, glasses, etc. ….. to hide it all, I have a nice placemat to cover it….. I like the red folder idea, and used that idea a few times to help get others set up. The last kiddo leaving the nest for example. I frequently remind him to put important items in it so when he needs it, it will be there. I also helped a friend who was a truck driver. He needed certain documents for the DOT. I put these in page protectors in a bright pink folder. ….. (not his favorite macho color)….so he could find it in the mass of other stuff in black folders….. he was not happy with my idea until one day I got a call from him asking where something was, because a state trooper was inspecting his truck. “It’s in the pink folder”. Problem solved. ….. red folder, pink folder…. The system works.
This video motivated me sooo much!!! I decided to watch some of your and your sisters videos (which I have loved for years) while decluttering. My bedroom looks like a warzone - stuff everywhere :-D I still had to pause the work as you mentioned those three bins. I didn't find lovely organizers like this around my house so I took a big old metal bicycle basket and wrapped it up in lovely wrapping paper and wrote "time will tell" on it. found two smaller blue plastic baskets I used to keep some of my sons toys or letters in, washed them out and wrote "to process" and "to do" on them. I didn't want to put it off for later, cause I might never do it and now I have theeeemmm. Let me continue to declutter. I am encouraged by you saying you are a former messy person. Means there is hope for me :-D Greetings from Germany!
I saw the title of this video today and thought, I don't need to watch this, I know what Dawn is going to say. Nope. There are still gems in there. Plus I just like listening to you. You make me smile.
I feel much better about my paper management since I started implementing some of your paper declutter ideas 2 years ago. I have achieved all my initial goals. e.g. No paper on kitchen table, Papers filed. etc. After watching this it reminds me that now is the time for new paper goals/habits. Since I am no longer stressed about the daily paper management, I can go after my long term files and start cutting them down. Now I have a better idea of what I need in the future so I won't file as much as I used to.
I do still have trouble with the "Justin Case" folders of manuals. I did just pull out about 3 different manuals in the past 3 months. When I tried to download the manual of one of the items on-line, it came with a virus. Then I had to stop what I was doing to work though that issue. ugh. In the end, I had to throw away 2 of the 3 items anyway, so the manual didn't really make a difference on the final decision. Since I have space in the basement for these just in case manuals, I'm going to hold on to them until my next big clean out or until I need the shelf space.
"good intentions don't cook dinner"..... Amen sister!!!....and that meem about being that person you wish you were when you bought that produce is sooo true(unfortunately, I resemble that remark).....love your channel....have benefited from it tremendously!!!....thank you for sticking your neck out and helping those of us who organizationally challenged!!!....
I have the shredder set up next to my recycling bin by the door we enter through in the garage. Paper gets processed before it's even allowed to come in the house. Envelopes in the trash. Sensitive materials in the shredder. Stuff that matters comes in. Which is very very minimal.
I always look forward to Tuesday. I love the ideas because I’m drowning in paper. Blessings from Texas ❤
I have watched almost if not all your videos for the last few years. I’m making progress with paper clutter, but I’m not there yet…still intimidated and not on top of it yet. This was super helpful. I’m familiar with much of what you said, but this really encouraged me! Thank you!!
Where have you been my whole life?! I feel better and less stressed and I haven't even DONE anything yet. You have given me hope as I begin pairing down and giving things a home. Thank you.
Time will Tell basket has been an absolute game changer. No longer do I leave papers out just in case, or file papers away I’ll probably never need again.
Coupons go in my bag, bills in the bill organizer, most important into the safe & kids work go into the bottom of the desk drawer magazines on the book shelf! I don't keep much else!
I really like your system, thanks
Thank you! I came back to this video I had watched before and I had started the system. My system has kind of gone out of whack and I needed to revisit to help kickstart getting on top of my piles. This is so helpful and I have shared it with others! I love what you do thank you!
The "Time Will Tell" bin has really saved my sanity when it comes to paper I'm not sure if I'll reference again e.g. catalogs, coupon booklets, flyers from repair people, quotes for work on our home, etc.
Everytime I think I'm organized as can be you show me something new.! I love learning from you!! I was always a clean before but after you explain more and more to me I see the reasoning behind it! Love ya!
What's the difference between "to do" and "to process"? I love the thought of getting my paperwork organized, but don't understand the sorting of these 2 bins. Would you just toss the new mail in the "to process" bin before you sort between "to do" and "time will tell"? Or do you sort mail into those categories as soon as you bring it in the door.
Shredded and tossed over ten years of paper clutter last week. I also have the Grab-and-Go file packet of essential paperwork incase of emergency. The more useless crap I get cleared out of my house, the more I find!
Your video is just what I needed today! We recently moved and last night I thought: The next day I really want to tackle the mess on my desk and finally have supper ready on time. Thank you for sharing, you’re an inspiration!
The red file….I’ve done it and it’s peace of mind.
You are so great! Watching your videos are like having a therapist
Your "Time Will Tell" bins idea has been sooooo amazing for me, so very helpful! I need to get to my "To Do"s a whole lot more, but having things sorted now, and easily sorting them as new paper comes in has made a huge huge difference! Thank you so much for your videos!!
I love that you are now at the stage of recycling❤. And you give everyone grace to just throw it out when they are at the beginning process and can barely move. I cringed at some of your earlier videos when you guys just threw stuff out, but I think the whole process makes sense and hopefully your videos help many people not get to the point of overwhelming.
I'm watching your paper clutter videos while I declutter mine! I tried a few years back and my current system has fallen apart. Time to revamp and make the minor changes I need to kick the paper habit!
I’m implementing this system with my emails! I’ll probably implement it with my physical mail later, but I want to see how I like it first. Thanks for the tips!
have to chuckle at a printable to manage paper 😆
😊
Mail and paper is the bane of my life. I've tried so many systems, but I'm going to try this very simple one. I've even hired two different helpers over the years to go through papers with me. Here's hoping that I can improve. Thank you!
I have been doing a version of this and its helped soooooo much!! When I am cleaning/picking up around the house I know where to put the paper stuff instead of just one pile. I have been doing the “important” files in a file for years and its been so amazing!
Love the "time will tell" bin ! I would personnaly add a "to file" bin for papers that need being kept, because, as you said, if you're on your couch watching a tv show while dealing with your paperwork, you probably don't have all your files next to you. So, when a paper doesn't require any more actions, except being kept, I would put it there, and once in a while, I would just empty that bin in the appropriate files :)
Yes! One of the first books I read on organization had that tip and it works so well to keep the "to file" papers separate from papers that need decisions made (time will tell) or actions taken (to do). And then when the "to file" folder gets thick or when there is time, the filing can be done.
I have implemented the last system with the files and the red folder and it is all working great! No paper clutter here. Thanks for the helpful hints.
Thank you for all of your helpful ideas. 😊
I still think the best edit is a detour to garage trash can before it gets in the house.
Dawn,
I have been following you forever and thoroughly enjoy your videos. I feel like I'm in your kitchen and we are having a real chat. I'm a super organized person, always have been, but you have helped me realize I don't need to keep as much paper. I don't file nearly as much since I started a time will tell bin, which for me is a binder. The only thing that I've added to these categories are two folders, kind of like the red folder in your video. I have one for each kid and I throw in school work and artwork as it comes in. Then I deal with it when I can. Love your channel. Happy Easter to you and your family. 😊
When you originally showed the time will tell container, I instantly thought that will work for me and it has! I can’t tell you what a help this. The newer version has me wondering 😊👍
Your system is awesome...
in its simplicity and do-ability.
Your daughter so beautiful and grown-up. I guess I haven't seen her, on camera, in a couple years. This video was very helpful. Currently, I just have a drawer where papers go. I try to go through it about every month or two but I might as well call it the drawer of death.
Lollll
Thanks to you, I am on top of paper clutter! I stopped subscriptions to 2 magazines because I never had time to read them! Thanks Dawn!
Love seeing cute Adaline helping with dinner 😊
My problem isn’t where to put my paper, it’s the follow through with then getting my action items done.
Hi Dawn!
I've been watching your videos for about two years! I learn so much!! I loved the first video you did on "time will tell bin" and the red folder. Time will Tell bin is such a great idea!! I use that!
Thank you for so many wonderful and helpful videos! My son is 18, but if I would've had good minimalist information like this when he was growing up, I would not have accumulated so much stuff!
I encourage moms with small children to look at your videos, they'll learn so much!, and realize they don't have to keep everything! :)
Thank you so much! 😊💕
I tried Hello Fresh and loved it ! Their produce is the freshest I've ever had !
Thanks to you, I no longer have paper clutter.
I have "To Do" (action) and "Pending" (time will tell) and "To File" (because my filing cabinet is downstairs, in a room I don't often go in).
When walking in from getting the mail, I immediately put junk mail in the recycle bin, located in my garage. It doesn't even make it into my house! But I noticed all the shredding would come in and get piled up next to my shredder in the basement. It then became this huge chore to shred the paper and then to empty the bin. So a big improvement for me was to put the shredder in the garage near my recycling bin. Now I can easily just shred the credit card offers etc immediately as they come in. No more piles of shredding. And it's also not such a big deal to empty the shredder because it's right next to my recycling bin.
That, paired with your system, and having online accounts to access statements etc, has made paper management so much easier!
Thanks to you, I've been using a Time Will Tell bin for paper for about a year and it's been wonderful. Makes such a difference in keeping paper clutter under control.
What a great and simple solution. This could work for anybody. Thanks so much.
I have adopted this system. Love the red folder, really reduces stress for me. I have a 'Sunday basket' with to do, short term reference papers, receipts for filing and time will tell. But I don't actually look at it every week, so I could probably minimalise it further.
I've waited for this video since you've mentioned it some months ago. 😊 I love your content and can't wait until Tuesday evening when your new video pops up. Thank you Dawn! Greetings from Germany 🤗
I absolutely love the idea of the “RED Emergency Folder”!!! As we already have the fireproof safe box. By including this red folder, it’s a quick grab in case of an emergency! Thank You❣️
Open the mail immediately when bringing it in and stand over the garbage bin-game changer! Then I have a pile to file and a pile to take care of. The fewer the steps the better!
I’m here watching it again absorbing your words to get inspired again as I’ve fallen off the wagon in keeping up with my papers lol I just got gifted w a new filing bin and need to put it in use. I’ve been using my kids filing bin for my papers and it’s getting full w school stuff. Thanks Dawn!
The minimal mom is like to know which products you use for these systems because I’ve seen you use many different products for these same systems in the last three years and I’m honestly trying to find which ones are the most functional and pleasing to look at.
I used to have paper everywhere, but it is no longer a struggle. Though I could do with a “To Process” bin…my current one is the dining table because I don’t think to check a bin. However, it isn’t generally that much and gets taken care of fairly quickly, because I’m ruthless about what makes it past the shredder and recycling bin. I have an accordion file for all reference documents and a magnetic metal envelope holder that is hung on the wall in the kitchen where I keep time will tell paper. I put my to-dos here as well on the front (instead of inside) with a magnet, and put a reminder on my phone for any future to-dos.
But my main source of paper clutter used to be to-do lists; they were everywhere. I started carrying a bullet journal, and it eliminated the problem. I don’t make many to-do lists now, but it was a great solution at the time.
I love your videos, Dawn! Thank you for all you do.
Just had to pop on and share that my family is traveling to MN this week and we are excited. Going to enjoy the experience of seeing the largest mall, the zoo, some of the lakes and the time together. It's our first vacation as a combined family. I've been watching your videos from the beginning and it's crazy what you've turned your journey into! Maybe we'll see you somewhere in our adventures. Blessings!
One thing that works well for me is having a binder for home repair projects. I have a copy of the MLS, paint chips from paint we have used, floor plans, plans and lists I have drawn for renovation projects, etc.
It has been a HUGE help. If I need it, I can pull out the binder and flip to the right tab.
Pocket tabs are great for this.
My projects take forever and are always interrupted, so I need a way to remember what I already figured out!
I always appreciate your advice so much! After I finish watching am going to tackle my paper
Killin’ it with the “time will tell” bins *fist bump*
Hi- love the new bins- ordering now. I have a safe deposit box at my bank for passports, deed/title for my house, car, birth certificates, etc.
Thank you
Time will tell bin is the key! Works so well
I am sooooo glad I found you! My time will tell bin would probably grow to be three times that size because I have perfected the art of procrastination….But, I am going to try it! I think you’re awesome!
Dawn's organizational style comes into play here - Time Will Tell is a very broad category! As a cricket, it stresses me out to have coupons, recipes, catalogs, homework papers, etc all in the same bin! I prefer to have different spots for all of these things.
I'm using a magazine holder with manila folders for my Time Will Tell. The catalogs are loose in there. It's been working well for several months now.
Working on my paper piles as I watch your video.
I love the 5 year rule, decluttering has become much easier. We now have a fabric basket with a lid on the shelf in the home office. All paperwork goes there, and it has become a weekly habit to sort it out and pay bills, etc. Easy and done, no more piles and the bonus is we're all stress free!