Paperwork is the bane of my existence. It's never ending, even in this digital age where bills are paid online. Why do I still have so much paperwork?!
Steph thank you for this!!! I have been doing my 40 plus bins and bankers boxes every day for over a week....40 years worth. I have been avoiding it for so very long but the weight of it was keeping me in a state of paralyisis (spl?) that I knew I could avoid it no longer. I am maybe a little more than half way through and determined to push through until its done! Oh the freedom I will feel at the end of this....
I understand exactly what you are going through, I have 26 yrs of my husband and my paperwork we need to get rid of, but he holds on to every piece of paper. I gather most of them and put in a huge bag to start sorting but don't know how to start. I've started twice and did around 20 papers and quit
So grateful I sorted through over ten years worth of paper clutter last year and now have a system in place for dealing with paper as it comes into the house that actually works. Going to take care of my Time Will Tell bin as soon as I post this as a sign of solidarity. 😉
One of the Doctors I work with declutters her kids art work once a year….at Christmas time. She wraps all the small gifts in their art work and uses Christmas ribbons to add the festive touch. The gifts we received looked brilliant💕And whatever she doesn’t use, she throws out. ( except for the special pieces that her kiddos want to keep)
@@annesmith6582tbh I feel like taking photos would just add to the digital clutter that we end up forgetting about. We framed 1 of our kiddos water colour artwork she did in kinder. It's a gorgeous 50cm x70cm piece that still hangs on our wall. We kept some others over the years but most of it went in the bin. But each to their own though. She actually has photos of her kids helping her wrap the gifts and they look so proud to be using their own artwork 💗
It’s a double whammy day today. I do have a rather large (and growing) file folder of papers that need sorting, it’s anti-procrastination day, and I have your video for inspiration. Love it when the stars align! ✨🙌🏼👏🏻🥳
You are inspiring me so much! I will start to tackle the mountains of paperwork today! It's like I am working right along side of a good friend doing this together. Thank you so much for your dedication to help all of us get our homes back into shape. 💘 💘 💘
You did a great job on the kids drawings. I was also a prodigious artist as a child and my mom would throw ALL my artwork into cardboard xerox boxes and put them in the attic. There were an absurd amount of inefficiently filled Xerox boxes that I had to work through over time and of course since they'd been sitting in the attic for 30+ years, allot of them had crumbs of who knows what, dried bugs, etc in the bottoms. I went through these boxes out on my porch where the breeze could blow the dust away and carefully picked through and sorted everything neatly into cotton ball bags. My job gets lots of cotton balls (healthcare) in 11x14 clear plastic ziplock bulk bags and they have some give, so they are not completely flat but enough for them to be put into a bin like vertical files. I'm an emotional hoarder and to be honest, I created some pretty cool stuff as a kid, and what I found was that the school projects were the easiest things to toss because it wasn't something that came from my child-brain. Also the items with pasta and beans and so forth glued all over it got binned quickly haha. I wound up with one black and yellow bin of cotton-ball-bag filed artwork and it was sooooo good to throw away tons and tons of junk.
Getting rid of toddler artwork can be so hard, but in 10 years you will be ready to let 90% of it go. I love how you got the input from your kids. Good job Mom!
Good morning Steph….I hate paperwork. I worked in a paper intensive industry until I retired. Facing paperwork and shredding daily gave me enough for a lifetime. I have bags of shredding going to the local shredder. I have stacks of save stuff that needs to be filed and I have some old files to go through. Thank goodness it’s chilly and cloudy today so I can devote a huge amount of time to getting it accomplished. Keep your videos coming. Loving this series. Thank you.👍🏻
I’ve used our utility room to display my favorite kid artwork the whole time we’ve lived here (23 years). My 30 year old, only child finally couldn’t take the embarrassment anymore and disposed of everything 😂🤣 So I guess if you’re patient enough, they’ll do the decluttering for you! 😄
My favorite thing about this series is that even though you’ve been zone cleaning for a while you are showing that some areas are still in process making zone cleaning way more relatable and saying hey it’s not always 100% done and it’s okay. I feel like my biggest struggle with zone cleaning is that perfectionist mentally and I’m hard on myself. So this is so great to watch, thank you!
"Tell me you're Canadian without saying you're Canadian"...sorry I couldn't help but notice that crokinole board in the the background, lol. Paperwork is my struggle. If there's a "hot spot" that needs decluttering, it'll be paper for sure! I'm also a list maker...and things like your list of babies names would be something I'd look at and keep for the sentimental value...this is why I struggle! Too many bits of paper that I attach memories to. Recently, I threw out all of my final exam papers from my university days...FROM 1987! Then I went through paper from my teaching days. I had 27 years of cards and notes from students that I no longer had any recollection of 🤔. Sadly, I knew that it no longer held any significance to me personally. It's definitely a process but it ultimately comes down to the question "Why am I keeping this?" Your kids are sweet 🙂
I have 13 years of homeschool papers, projects and artwork- in 8 stuffed bankers boxes. This is my big project and haven’t started. However I have set up current project files, medical record files (for each member of the family) and other files. This year I have a Current Year file for 1. Paid bills 2. Paid medical bills (anything related to the money side of medical) 3. Receipts and a Prior Year for the same (except receipts). At the beginning of the year, I throw away/shred Prior Year and move all Current Year to Prior Year. No longer have years on file folders. My husband takes care of taxes and he keeps all those records in his office. I really look forward to watching this series. Thanks Steph!!
EEEK.... decluttering paper is a huuuuge task for me & one I wasn't looking forward to! Today I did yesterday's declutter the closet challenge & my hubby helped me with it & it looks great.... he even vacuumed the top shelf for me...YAY! I'm enjoying working on these a day behind as I watch the vid at night & it gives me time to process it & think it through before I tackle the task the next day! I think the paper challenge is a Big Project for me, so I'll do a bit tomorrow & more over the Easter weekend.🥰 Blessings from South Australia💕🐨
Paperwork! I do have to say that when I went through my mom's things it was fun (as a 65 year old) to go through and see some of my school work from Kindergarten on up. Just one or two things saved per year. Ah.....history...... And I love, love, love the desk you made in the background! Use what we have - it's a great example!
So, I've been watching this about ten times already and I'm sorry but I didnt hear a thing you said nor did I lift a finger. The cuteness was so loud! Couldn't help but keeping my eyes on the little nugget as he kept his stare right back at me, into my soul! What innocence lies in the eyes of a child. (Yeah, im sure the sibblings and parents may beg to differ sometimes ;-) Bless you all Steph
Wow! You got SO much done! It was great for me to declutter some papers today. I also worked on a little project that I usually push aside when I declutter. I'm very glad I did. I'm also trying to continue with the closets a little bit at a time. Today I pulled out a bin in a closet that I call "The Halfway House." It is for things that we are unsure about decluttering. It also holds packaging for items that might need returning to a store. That bin is so much better now. Thank you for this fun series!!
I like the idea of bringing everything into one place as all my stuff is in 3 different places. You make it real! Other videos show an already organized house, but seeing your room, is like mine- lots of piles.
oh your children around are so so sweet :) and when he is yawning is soooo sweet :) it is the exact feeling about dealing with paperwork but it is feeling so empowering to face it ! as I even feel it is blocking to evolve if too much. so thank you for sharing the motivation sincerely as I am totally into this these days :) 😅😘
Your kids are precious! Loved seeing them in the video. Paperwork is THE worst! Ugh! Not only do I have all of the usual stuff people accumulate, but I taught multiple courses in college English for 40 years, so I have a BUNCH! I also love how you keep it real in your videos. It’s good to see your true messes. Helps me feel better about myself.
I got 5 totes of my papers and mementos consolidated into one, and it feels fantastic! It's amazing how time can change your perspective on what's valuable...
I remember those days of having boxes of papers that my children gave me as gifts. During their teenage years, I had them choose what they wanted to keep aside from the items I wanted to cherish. They didn't want to keep much. LOL. I put the artwork in a binder and keep it in a storage bench in my bedroom. I've downsized paper clutter a lot. I regularly shred. Also, I have our important documents (birth certs, passports, insurance policies, etc. in a fire safe bag. I heard that idea from Erica Lucas.
Paperwork is my biggest decluttering problem. I have years and years of accumulated papers, and boxes of papers in nearly every room of my house. It's a huge job, but I am working on it!! Thanks for your encouraging videos! Enjoyed seeing your little helpers!
I don't have children so don't have that to deal with. I live alone and I am always amazed at how much paper comes into my house, even though I have gone digital for many things. This video is motivation to address my inbox - things I decided in a previous sort/purge I need to take action on. I am finishing my taxes this week too, so that will be motivation to review past tax files. Thank you for sharing your life with us. Cute son!
Love the videos! A small recommendation, please show an after of the spaces and areas you declutter, that's my favorite part is seeing the before and afters!
Love the little helper! This last year I helped my mom go through all of the papers my dad had saved for their house, his job, church, and volunteer job, plus his mother's, aunt's and in-laws paperwork that they inherited. It went back to 1965. He kept it all, including extras of the handouts he made. We burned out two shredders and brought over 1,000 pounds to recycling. On the one hand, I was motivated to reduce my own paper clutter, on the other hand, I never want to handle another piece of paper again!
What beautiful children you have. I love to see in your videos that you are a normal person, without the picture perfect magazine home, that you’ve got kids running around climbing all over you as you try to tackle all these things too. On a separate note, papers are a huge thing for me (notebooks too) thank you for the idea of doing a file for my person things! I think that may be the biggest struggle for me. Things personal to me that I need to deal with yet but have no place to go.
Well again I have no excuses. If you are going through mounds of paperwork, I can too. When I moved in September, I got rid some. I now have moved again and this needs to be done. You've given me some great ideas for important papers and personal papers. Thank you Steph!!
Gotta love paper!! 🤣 Been going thru bunches of paper at my house to take advantage of free shred day at the bank this upcoming Saturday. Haven’t had one since covid so I’m really trying to clear out as much as possible. I cleared out a 3 tier rolling cart I had stuffed into a closet. Oh my word. Not only did I find probably all of the household paperwork from 2017 but stacks and stacks of coupons from 2017 too! Geez. Out of that whole cart I kept less than a half of inch of paper. Felt really silly working around that cart thinking it was all impt stuff all this time. Geez. 🤣🤣🤣 I still have another couple baskets left to purge. Will do those today! Thanks for great motivation Steph! Much appreciated! Hugs! 🌷🌸🌷🌸🌷🌸
Paperwork is so key to keep on top of and have good systems in place. I recently helped a friend go through her stacks and boxes of papers and it took us over 40 hours of work time!
Awesome video! Paperwork is the bane of my existence. Since we have recently retired and moved, I am treating this as an opportunity for a fresh start have made paperwork my big project. Some suggestions I have learned: 1) consider getting a fire safe for your really important papers (birth certs, passports, etc) 2) I'm doing as many bills as possible on line and not getting paper statements. I download digital copies each month into the file system I have set up on my computer 3) as soon as I buy a new appliance, I immediately download a digital copy of the manual; I've had trouble finding manuals on line for some of my older things. I have an owner's manuals directory on my computer that I've subdivided into groups that make sense for me 4) keep digital journals and lists. I have found this very helpful for gardening. I record everything in an excel spreadsheet which has the advantage of being searchable when I'm trying to remember how I handled something in past years. 5) setup routines that help you keep up with all the incoming papers on a regular basis 6) review your paper and digital records regularly and get rid of anything no longer applicable 7) don't be afraid to tweak your system. If something is getting out of control, look at and change how you're currently doing it. This is not a one and done thing.
I needed you 50 years ago when my two were artists. Those days are gone and so are the artworks, except a few I kept just for memories. I do enjoy looking at them now and then. Now my paperwork consists of computer things I print out and never really use again! YIKES! 😊
You should always end on a happy note and what's happier than a little girl peeking over your shoulder, looking like she pulled something off on Mom..love your videos.
This is a task that I could easily get lost in! If I start going through notebooks, I get all in my memories when I read notes I've jotted down maybe 2 or 10 years ago.... Next thing I know, it's been four hours and I haven't accomplished anything. That's why I love the 5x5 timer!! I do a full 25 mins on one task and then I STOP! It also helps keep me focused.
This one is a difficult challenge for me. This one and de cluttering crafts will be a difficult challenge. My perfectionism doesn’t let me complete the task. I started using binders with clear pocket folders inside that has been working for me. Your children are so beautiful! Love their red hair.
I do pretty good at going through paper as it comes in: trash, recycle or deal with it and file, if needed. I need to go through the OLD piles that should be easy to go through, but takes time to do. Thanks for motivating me to get rid of a whole stack of old magazines and keep going! 😍
My paperwork is pretty well organized, but it's time for me to go thru the existing folders and weed out the outdated bills, payments, paperwork that is in there. I try to do this about every 3-4 months and it's time to do this now! Thank you Steph!
The papers/mail is the absolute hardest for me. I don't know why. It's where I will procrastinate the longest. I finally went through my piles in March (forced to because of taxes) and now am trying to keep on top of it. As soon as something comes in from the mailbox or school I try to deal with it immediately. Thanks for continuing to inspire!!
Well done!! I am lucky my husband keeps most of our files, but I have baskets of my stuff - gardening, recipes, things that I took out of my notebooks. Today is the day. Thankfully, it is a sit-down job. Going to watch a favorite TV a program.
That little redhead bombing this video was priceless! I actually worked on some sorting and shredding paperwork yesterday afternoon. I have been trying to get rid of junk mail by not bringing it into the house. I put my paper shredder in the garage so I can shred the junk mail and not bring it in and toss it someplace to deal with later.
I love the frequency of the posts during this series, I'm gonna miss them! Paperwork and digital are my 2 most dreaded things to organize so far. I think I read it's because of unresolved issues? Sometimes it's frustrating to wander down memory lane- that's why it's good to do these things with a lot of positive peer pressure to motivate us...
|Oh, the endless paper clutter! It always seems to multiply!!! But a good idea with the kids drawings!!! Thank you! I also love the idea of a little file system, just for your own personal papers! This would be perfect!
I am so thankful that this is one area that has been under control for me now for several years. I keep NOTHING. Bills are paid each month and they show a balance/record of previous bills. Therefore I only keep one month of each. Other than that all I keep are vital statistics such as marriage license, ins policy, will, death certs, birth certs. And all of those are contained in one waterproof/fireproof zipper file. We are in the midst of a huge remodel, so I do have plans/blue prints, receipts etc from that. But those will be taken care of as soon as the project is finished. Mail is dealt with on the way into the house. Either dropped in the recycle bin or bills placed in a business envelope to be paid, old one is then instantly tossed. THANK YOU again for this series . I love it
I do this as an annual task, which makes it much more manageable. I shred anything I don’t need to keep, and it means that I only need an hour or two once a year. Keeping on top of paperwork as it comes into the house is key!
Paperwork is the worst to deal with. Starting with the important papers is great to do. I suggest a portable fire proof safe to keep important documents in. I like your idea of gathering all the paperwork in one place to tackle it.
I have a love/hate relationship with paper as some is sentimental. Several years ago I went through years worth of stuff. Now, I need to go through it again as I have more than I like. Thanks for the motivation Steph.
While we were prepping to move 4 years ago, I went thru all of my papers. It took me hours. I ended up with 8 large trash bags stuffed full of the shredded papers. Since moving into our new home, I have all of my important things in a large dresser, with important papers in their folders, tax papers in descending year order, and all office supplies in one of the drawers. Great job Steph! Especially with little ones around. Well done ! tfs 🥰✝💗🐣🐤🐇🥚💐🌷🌞🌛🥰✝💗🐣🐤🐇🥚💐🌷🌞🌛🥰✝💗🐣🐤🐇🥚💐🌷🌞🌛
Your idea with binding the kids artwork is genius! I remember keeping EVERYTHING with my first child. By the birth of baby #3, it was overwhelming. I finally sorted them out, but learned not to repeat my error. Great motivational video, Steph. By the way, Your kids are so well behaved and funny. 😊
You did a great job! Paper is my organizing nemesis. I am better nowadays but I have several old boxes in the basement that need going through. My kids are 19 and 17 and I still have giant boxes of their artwork. They aren’t going to want all of that when they have their own homes!
Paperwork is the bane of my existence. I’ve gotten better in minimizing my paperwork but I struggle with the place for important items. I like your idea!
I have some file boxes similar to your personal papers one that I store my boys artwork/schoolwork in by year. It’s labeled from pre-school to the end of high school. Anything they bring home during the year that they deem special enough goes in that years file. At the end of every school year we go through the books that come home and tear out any work they’re super proud of and want to keep. We also have a quick glance at years past in their file to see if they want to remove anything else. The plan is when they leave home they will have just one file box with their school memorabilia in it which covers their entire schooling. Unlike the mountain of boxes I had. By going through it every year we keep only the most important things and by filing new stuff as we go and reviewing at the end of the year we keep it super manageable. Good luck keeping on top of your kids artwork I know what a mammoth task it can be.
Oh you know I am all about this paper declutter! I have most of our papers and receipts gathered in a room, away from the main area of the house and out of sight. My goal is to spend time every day decluttering them. It's still a work in progress!
Eek! I really need to get to our paper clutter. Especially kids artwork. I like the idea some have mentioned of the Sunday Folder, and Flylady Kat talks about doing One Inch a day of paper clutter to manage and not get overwhelmed. I think I'll start there. This was motivating for sure and Steph, thanks for being real and relatable AND inspiring! 🌻
I have never commented but I have to say I heard nothing once that sweet boy sat on your lap....I am going to have to re-watch this video because the cuteness overload was such a distraction....he was completely mesmerized....soooo precious!! 🤗🤗🤗
I have a big binder and file folders I'm tackling tomorrow. My goal is to narrow it down to half. Thanks for keeping things real in every video! Looking forward to tomorrow's inspiration. 😀
I recently got a label maker and love it! Yours looks like it's the same model as mine. You can do a chain print and then just cut the individual labels out. Saves loads of wasted extra tape.
The never ending paper clutter! Your toddler is so calm. Mine would be grabbing every paper and throwing it. I take pics of art work and keep it in a folder on my phone. My kindergartener loves going through it.
Paper clutter made me sleepless! lol. I decluttered in stages. I did the first big cleanup - just 2 piles, keep and get rid of about 3 years ago. Then in between lockdowns in 2020, i got organized and put papers in categories envelopes, and now about a month ago i scanned all the vital important papers, as well as semi important docs... Feels so good! .. Now i just gotta maintain it! :)
I had to declutter about 50 notebooks 🤯! It was so crazy! That and my motor on my shredder overheated about 3 times before I was done shredding old documents.... This took so much time and showed so little in my home and yet is such a huge load off my shoulders!! Great job being our tow truck! And your kids are adorable 🥰
I have gotten soo much better with handling paper and it’s thanks to people like you who motivate us and remind us of the why behind decluttering. 😊 with that being said I still need to perfect my system to prevent papers from being everywhere and I still have piles I need to tackle…including lots of kids artwork as well 😬 progress not perfection 💪🏼
I am a secret slob of paperwork among other things. For years, clean up for company consisted of a quick sort of urgent items (bills/checks) in a pile for the desk and the rest in a box (which was never looked at again). A month ago I started going through years of similar boxes, piles and envelopes. I took a box or so at a time (among other decluttering tasks) and sorted into really keep (copy of house records to go into the safe, very special letters or cards to go into a memory bin, etc.), discard in recycle, discard in shred, give to someone else. I'm still at it but very near the end. WHAT A task.
My older kids are both in high school and I had a lot of their artwork starting at preschool. I finally went thru them and let them pick what was important for them and kept some that were sentimental for me and got rid of all the other ones. Between them and my 2 younger ones I still have plenty of artwork to store. 😀
Your little kids are so precious! I loved how your little boy wanted to sit with you as you worked. It reminded me of when our son was little. Your little girl was so cute peeking around you, too! Such a sweet stage of life you are in right now, and you are doing an awesome job! I loved how you had the little label "Mom" on your shirt, too. So sweet! Your channel is just a joy to watch. I have been tackling paperwork, too, for about 2-3 weeks. Whew! The sentimental stuff is what hits me hardest. I am now going through a crate that was my dear parents', and I have been re-reading all the cards they gave me over the years. That is one thing I will not be getting rid of. I just can't. Knowing there will be no more cards from them is hard, and I truly do enjoy going back and re-reading them from time to time, especially when I am down and missing them so much. God bless you for all you do to encourage us here, Steph!
Steph Good morning. I have reduced my paper clutter in a moment of desperation by leaps and bounds. However, the remaining “keepers” ends up in 2 reusable grocery bags. They have been sitting in a corner waiting to be addressed. Thank you for the kick in the pants to readdress them and get them to their final home. Have a great day with your beautiful babies that are getting so big 😊
I love these smaller projects throughout the week. Much more manageable! My paperwork is mostly under control, but I do have a small stack of mail to sort through.
Paper clutter will be the last on my list.... I DREAD... but also seeing the piles all over just adds so much stress to my day. Thank you for the motivation, started with one small pile today and focused on getting it done!
Kids art work is so tough. I only keep the favourites now and especially the ones that show their personalities! If they drew it by hand and it wasn’t a copy cat that the whole class did, I for sure keep those. We have started a memory bin for each kid and they all go in there.
Didn't get to paperwork today, but it's on my things to do. I actually shared with my husband yesterday how I want us to manage paperwork going forward, and he thought it would work. Fingers crossed.
I try to go through filed papers once a year & deal with the daily stuff/mail everyday as soon as it comes in. It’s amazing how much we file away thinking we need it.
Thanks Steph for giving me a nudge. I'll save my paperwork for the weekend as it will take most of the day. The shedder will probably over heat. Anything important can be scanned and kept on a family cloud. Diane in Denmark has the important house documents in a red file and if there is a disaster and you only have time to go grab one thing, everything is in the one file. Xx take care, can't wait for the next one.
I picked up an old filing cabinet from a elderly lady and I've been planning to paint it and sort my mess of papers... Now I have some motivation to get it done! 🙂
Your first wardrobe declutter way back when inspired me to keep more colour in my closet. I appreciate Canadian content. Our winters are a slog now you are rural too so get all the extra winter stuff. I split kid keep ( now adults) from warranties ( blizzard here tomorrow perfect project to cull) from a one year file based on yours. Thank you. We are grandparents really hands on and kids come before perfectly tidy. I’d like to see how you organize and sort seasonal stuff like snow gear vs beach towels bathing suits and sports gear.
Papers of all kinds - kid art, household, medical, notes, greeting cards - are a problem for me. Nice to know I’m not the only one with a box (boxes/piles) of papers. Good job going through them! I tackled a small pile this evening:)
I just organized our important, hard to replace documents in a fire proof box that holds hanging files. All files are labeled with my label maker. Your videos are so timely and motivational! Thank you Steph for your hard work and guidance with these “projects”; they aren’t easy to tackle but it’s necessary and oh so satisfying when you’re done...at least until next time.
Paperwork is the bane of my existence. It's never ending, even in this digital age where bills are paid online. Why do I still have so much paperwork?!
Steph thank you for this!!! I have been doing my 40 plus bins and bankers boxes every day for over a week....40 years worth. I have been avoiding it for so very long but the weight of it was keeping me in a state of paralyisis (spl?) that I knew I could avoid it no longer. I am maybe a little more than half way through and determined to push through until its done! Oh the freedom I will feel at the end of this....
I understand exactly what you are going through, I have 26 yrs of my husband and my paperwork we need to get rid of, but he holds on to every piece of paper. I gather most of them and put in a huge bag to start sorting but don't know how to start. I've started twice and did around 20 papers and quit
So grateful I sorted through over ten years worth of paper clutter last year and now have a system in place for dealing with paper as it comes into the house that actually works. Going to take care of my Time Will Tell bin as soon as I post this as a sign of solidarity. 😉
One of the Doctors I work with declutters her kids art work once a year….at Christmas time. She wraps all the small gifts in their art work and uses Christmas ribbons to add the festive touch. The gifts we received looked brilliant💕And whatever she doesn’t use, she throws out. ( except for the special pieces that her kiddos want to keep)
@@annesmith6582tbh I feel like taking photos would just add to the digital clutter that we end up forgetting about.
We framed 1 of our kiddos water colour artwork she did in kinder. It's a gorgeous 50cm x70cm piece that still hangs on our wall. We kept some others over the years but most of it went in the bin. But each to their own though.
She actually has photos of her kids helping her wrap the gifts and they look so proud to be using their own artwork 💗
It’s a double whammy day today. I do have a rather large (and growing) file folder of papers that need sorting, it’s anti-procrastination day, and I have your video for inspiration. Love it when the stars align! ✨🙌🏼👏🏻🥳
You are inspiring me so much! I will start to tackle the mountains of paperwork today! It's like I am working right along side of a good friend doing this together. Thank you so much for your dedication to help all of us get our homes back into shape. 💘 💘 💘
You did a great job on the kids drawings. I was also a prodigious artist as a child and my mom would throw ALL my artwork into cardboard xerox boxes and put them in the attic. There were an absurd amount of inefficiently filled Xerox boxes that I had to work through over time and of course since they'd been sitting in the attic for 30+ years, allot of them had crumbs of who knows what, dried bugs, etc in the bottoms. I went through these boxes out on my porch where the breeze could blow the dust away and carefully picked through and sorted everything neatly into cotton ball bags. My job gets lots of cotton balls (healthcare) in 11x14 clear plastic ziplock bulk bags and they have some give, so they are not completely flat but enough for them to be put into a bin like vertical files. I'm an emotional hoarder and to be honest, I created some pretty cool stuff as a kid, and what I found was that the school projects were the easiest things to toss because it wasn't something that came from my child-brain. Also the items with pasta and beans and so forth glued all over it got binned quickly haha. I wound up with one black and yellow bin of cotton-ball-bag filed artwork and it was sooooo good to throw away tons and tons of junk.
Getting rid of toddler artwork can be so hard, but in 10 years you will be ready to let 90% of it go. I love how you got the input from your kids. Good job Mom!
Good morning Steph….I hate paperwork. I worked in a paper intensive industry until I retired. Facing paperwork and shredding daily gave me enough for a lifetime. I have bags of shredding going to the local shredder. I have stacks of save stuff that needs to be filed and I have some old files to go through. Thank goodness it’s chilly and cloudy today so I can devote a huge amount of time to getting it accomplished. Keep your videos coming. Loving this series. Thank you.👍🏻
I’ve used our utility room to display my favorite kid artwork the whole time we’ve lived here (23 years). My 30 year old, only child finally couldn’t take the embarrassment anymore and disposed of everything 😂🤣 So I guess if you’re patient enough, they’ll do the decluttering for you! 😄
That's funny!
😂😂
My favorite thing about this series is that even though you’ve been zone cleaning for a while you are showing that some areas are still in process making zone cleaning way more relatable and saying hey it’s not always 100% done and it’s okay. I feel like my biggest struggle with zone cleaning is that perfectionist mentally and I’m hard on myself. So this is so great to watch, thank you!
"Tell me you're Canadian without saying you're Canadian"...sorry I couldn't help but notice that crokinole board in the the background, lol. Paperwork is my struggle. If there's a "hot spot" that needs decluttering, it'll be paper for sure! I'm also a list maker...and things like your list of babies names would be something I'd look at and keep for the sentimental value...this is why I struggle! Too many bits of paper that I attach memories to. Recently, I threw out all of my final exam papers from my university days...FROM 1987! Then I went through paper from my teaching days. I had 27 years of cards and notes from students that I no longer had any recollection of 🤔. Sadly, I knew that it no longer held any significance to me personally. It's definitely a process but it ultimately comes down to the question "Why am I keeping this?" Your kids are sweet 🙂
I have 13 years of homeschool papers, projects and artwork- in 8 stuffed bankers boxes. This is my big project and haven’t started. However I have set up current project files, medical record files (for each member of the family) and other files. This year I have a Current Year file for 1. Paid bills 2. Paid medical bills (anything related to the money side of medical) 3. Receipts and a Prior Year for the same (except receipts). At the beginning of the year, I throw away/shred Prior Year and move all Current Year to Prior Year. No longer have years on file folders. My husband takes care of taxes and he keeps all those records in his office. I really look forward to watching this series. Thanks Steph!!
EEEK.... decluttering paper is a huuuuge task for me & one I wasn't looking forward to! Today I did yesterday's declutter the closet challenge & my hubby helped me with it & it looks great.... he even vacuumed the top shelf for me...YAY! I'm enjoying working on these a day behind as I watch the vid at night & it gives me time to process it & think it through before I tackle the task the next day! I think the paper challenge is a Big Project for me, so I'll do a bit tomorrow & more over the Easter weekend.🥰 Blessings from South Australia💕🐨
I am loving this series. Thanks for being real and honest, always on your channel. You are making great progress and encouraging me to do the same 👍😁⭐
I am so very grateful for these videos. I wish my declutter info went as fast as your videos. Lol
I find paperwork is definitely one of the hardest for me. Thanks again. Stay safe and healthy. Mary , Joes wife 👏👍🙏💪💐
Paperwork! I do have to say that when I went through my mom's things it was fun (as a 65 year old) to go through and see some of my school work from Kindergarten on up. Just one or two things saved per year. Ah.....history......
And I love, love, love the desk you made in the background! Use what we have - it's a great example!
Paper clutter can be overwhelming. So thankful most paperwork can be saved digitally.
So, I've been watching this about ten times already and I'm sorry but I didnt hear a thing you said nor did I lift a finger. The cuteness was so loud! Couldn't help but keeping my eyes on the little nugget as he kept his stare right back at me, into my soul! What innocence lies in the eyes of a child. (Yeah, im sure the sibblings and parents may beg to differ sometimes ;-) Bless you all Steph
Wow! You got SO much done! It was great for me to declutter some papers today. I also worked on a little project that I usually push aside when I declutter. I'm very glad I did. I'm also trying to continue with the closets a little bit at a time. Today I pulled out a bin in a closet that I call "The Halfway House." It is for things that we are unsure about decluttering. It also holds packaging for items that might need returning to a store. That bin is so much better now. Thank you for this fun series!!
Your little guy, Steph! Bless his heart ❤️ What a little sweetheart.
I like the idea of bringing everything into one place as all my stuff is in 3 different places. You make it real! Other videos show an already organized house, but seeing your room, is like mine- lots of piles.
oh your children around are so so sweet :) and when he is yawning is soooo sweet :) it is the exact feeling about dealing with paperwork but it is feeling so empowering to face it ! as I even feel it is blocking to evolve if too much. so thank you for sharing the motivation sincerely as I am totally into this these days :) 😅😘
I HATE paperwork. It is on going and impossible!! But watching and listening to your paper clutter, has made me semi conquer mine!!
Your kids are precious! Loved seeing them in the video. Paperwork is THE worst! Ugh! Not only do I have all of the usual stuff people accumulate, but I taught multiple courses in college English for 40 years, so I have a BUNCH! I also love how you keep it real in your videos. It’s good to see your true messes. Helps me feel better about myself.
I got 5 totes of my papers and mementos consolidated into one, and it feels fantastic! It's amazing how time can change your perspective on what's valuable...
I remember those days of having boxes of papers that my children gave me as gifts. During their teenage years, I had them choose what they wanted to keep aside from the items I wanted to cherish. They didn't want to keep much. LOL. I put the artwork in a binder and keep it in a storage bench in my bedroom. I've downsized paper clutter a lot. I regularly shred. Also, I have our important documents (birth certs, passports, insurance policies, etc. in a fire safe bag. I heard that idea from Erica Lucas.
Paperwork is my biggest decluttering problem. I have years and years of accumulated papers, and boxes of papers in nearly every room of my house. It's a huge job, but I am working on it!! Thanks for your encouraging videos! Enjoyed seeing your little helpers!
I don't have children so don't have that to deal with. I live alone and I am always amazed at how much paper comes into my house, even though I have gone digital for many things. This video is motivation to address my inbox - things I decided in a previous sort/purge I need to take action on. I am finishing my taxes this week too, so that will be motivation to review past tax files. Thank you for sharing your life with us. Cute son!
Love the videos! A small recommendation, please show an after of the spaces and areas you declutter, that's my favorite part is seeing the before and afters!
Paper is the category I dreeeeaaaad but is the most fulfilling when I do it!
Love the little helper! This last year I helped my mom go through all of the papers my dad had saved for their house, his job, church, and volunteer job, plus his mother's, aunt's and in-laws paperwork that they inherited. It went back to 1965. He kept it all, including extras of the handouts he made. We burned out two shredders and brought over 1,000 pounds to recycling. On the one hand, I was motivated to reduce my own paper clutter, on the other hand, I never want to handle another piece of paper again!
What beautiful children you have. I love to see in your videos that you are a normal person, without the picture perfect magazine home, that you’ve got kids running around climbing all over you as you try to tackle all these things too.
On a separate note, papers are a huge thing for me (notebooks too) thank you for the idea of doing a file for my person things! I think that may be the biggest struggle for me. Things personal to me that I need to deal with yet but have no place to go.
Paper is a never ending task.
Well again I have no excuses. If you are going through mounds of paperwork, I can too. When I moved in September, I got rid some. I now have moved again and this needs to be done. You've given me some great ideas for important papers and personal papers. Thank you Steph!!
Kids artwork will be a chore in itself! Love this decluttering challenge!
Your contest is one reason I subbed your channel! So excited you’re making it possible to support local businesses through this!!! Way to go!!!
I would say paperwork is the ONE thing I always seems to keep on top of!
Your son is so beautiful! His big yawn was so precious!
Gotta love paper!! 🤣 Been going thru bunches of paper at my house to take advantage of free shred day at the bank this upcoming Saturday. Haven’t had one since covid so I’m really trying to clear out as much as possible. I cleared out a 3 tier rolling cart I had stuffed into a closet. Oh my word. Not only did I find probably all of the household paperwork from 2017 but stacks and stacks of coupons from 2017 too! Geez. Out of that whole cart I kept less than a half of inch of paper. Felt really silly working around that cart thinking it was all impt stuff all this time. Geez. 🤣🤣🤣 I still have another couple baskets left to purge. Will do those today! Thanks for great motivation Steph! Much appreciated! Hugs! 🌷🌸🌷🌸🌷🌸
Loving seeing someone sitting in a room full of stuff. Feels very..... relatable.
The never ending battle of paper! Good job!👏👏👸🥇
Paperwork is so key to keep on top of and have good systems in place. I recently helped a friend go through her stacks and boxes of papers and it took us over 40 hours of work time!
Your kids are adorable. The struggle is real around paperwork.
Awesome video! Paperwork is the bane of my existence. Since we have recently retired and moved, I am treating this as an opportunity for a fresh start have made paperwork my big project. Some suggestions I have learned:
1) consider getting a fire safe for your really important papers (birth certs, passports, etc)
2) I'm doing as many bills as possible on line and not getting paper statements. I download digital copies each month into the file system I have set up on my computer
3) as soon as I buy a new appliance, I immediately download a digital copy of the manual; I've had trouble finding manuals on line for some of my older things. I have an owner's manuals directory on my computer that I've subdivided into groups that make sense for me
4) keep digital journals and lists. I have found this very helpful for gardening. I record everything in an excel spreadsheet which has the advantage of being searchable when I'm trying to remember how I handled something in past years.
5) setup routines that help you keep up with all the incoming papers on a regular basis
6) review your paper and digital records regularly and get rid of anything no longer applicable
7) don't be afraid to tweak your system. If something is getting out of control, look at and change how you're currently doing it. This is not a one and done thing.
I needed you 50 years ago when my two were artists. Those days are gone and so are the artworks, except a few I kept just for memories. I do enjoy looking at them now and then. Now my paperwork consists of computer things I print out and never really use again! YIKES! 😊
Paper is the next worst thing to deal with! Love the way you handle this!
You should always end on a happy note and what's happier than a little girl peeking over your shoulder, looking like she pulled something off on Mom..love your videos.
This is a task that I could easily get lost in! If I start going through notebooks, I get all in my memories when I read notes I've jotted down maybe 2 or 10 years ago.... Next thing I know, it's been four hours and I haven't accomplished anything. That's why I love the 5x5 timer!! I do a full 25 mins on one task and then I STOP! It also helps keep me focused.
Paperwork is always the hardest for me! I love love this series!
Oooo, paper clutter is the worst! Thanks for breaking it down in a play by play. Your kids are TOO cute photo bombers!
Paperwork can add up so easily so a great thing to add to the list to declutter.
This one is a difficult challenge for me. This one and de cluttering crafts will be a difficult challenge. My perfectionism doesn’t let me complete the task. I started using binders with clear pocket folders inside that has been working for me. Your children are so beautiful! Love their red hair.
I do pretty good at going through paper as it comes in: trash, recycle or deal with it and file, if needed. I need to go through the OLD piles that should be easy to go through, but takes time to do. Thanks for motivating me to get rid of a whole stack of old magazines and keep going! 😍
My paperwork is pretty well organized, but it's time for me to go thru the existing folders and weed out the outdated bills, payments, paperwork that is in there. I try to do this about every 3-4 months and it's time to do this now! Thank you Steph!
The papers/mail is the absolute hardest for me. I don't know why. It's where I will procrastinate the longest. I finally went through my piles in March (forced to because of taxes) and now am trying to keep on top of it. As soon as something comes in from the mailbox or school I try to deal with it immediately. Thanks for continuing to inspire!!
Well done!! I am lucky my husband keeps most of our files, but I have baskets of my stuff - gardening, recipes, things that I took out of my notebooks. Today is the day. Thankfully, it is a sit-down job. Going to watch a favorite TV a program.
That little redhead bombing this video was priceless! I actually worked on some sorting and shredding paperwork yesterday afternoon. I have been trying to get rid of junk mail by not bringing it into the house. I put my paper shredder in the garage so I can shred the junk mail and not bring it in and toss it someplace to deal with later.
I love the frequency of the posts during this series, I'm gonna miss them!
Paperwork and digital are my 2 most dreaded things to organize so far. I think I read it's because of unresolved issues? Sometimes it's frustrating to wander down memory lane- that's why it's good to do these things with a lot of positive peer pressure to motivate us...
|Oh, the endless paper clutter! It always seems to multiply!!! But a good idea with the kids drawings!!! Thank you! I also love the idea of a little file system, just for your own personal papers! This would be perfect!
Paper is a big challenge for me! So.much.paper, snd so much of it is random. It’ll be so good when it makes sense!!
I love the randomness but effectiveness of this devlutter. Needed a fly lady break. Lol.
I am so thankful that this is one area that has been under control for me now for several years. I keep NOTHING. Bills are paid each month and they show a balance/record of previous bills. Therefore I only keep one month of each. Other than that all I keep are vital statistics such as marriage license, ins policy, will, death certs, birth certs. And all of those are contained in one waterproof/fireproof zipper file.
We are in the midst of a huge remodel, so I do have plans/blue prints, receipts etc from that. But those will be taken care of as soon as the project is finished.
Mail is dealt with on the way into the house. Either dropped in the recycle bin or bills placed in a business envelope to be paid, old one is then instantly tossed.
THANK YOU again for this series . I love it
I love that you had a label of “mom” on your shirt! ❤️❤️
I do this as an annual task, which makes it much more manageable. I shred anything I don’t need to keep, and it means that I only need an hour or two once a year. Keeping on top of paperwork as it comes into the house is key!
Paperwork is the worst to deal with. Starting with the important papers is great to do. I suggest a portable fire proof safe to keep important documents in. I like your idea of gathering all the paperwork in one place to tackle it.
I have a love/hate relationship with paper as some is sentimental. Several years ago I went through years worth of stuff. Now, I need to go through it again as I have more than I like. Thanks for the motivation Steph.
While we were prepping to move 4 years ago, I went thru all of my papers. It took me hours. I ended up with 8 large trash bags stuffed full of the shredded papers. Since moving into our new home, I have all of my important things in a large dresser, with important papers in their folders, tax papers in descending year order, and all office supplies in one of the drawers. Great job Steph! Especially with little ones around. Well done ! tfs 🥰✝💗🐣🐤🐇🥚💐🌷🌞🌛🥰✝💗🐣🐤🐇🥚💐🌷🌞🌛🥰✝💗🐣🐤🐇🥚💐🌷🌞🌛
Your idea with binding the kids artwork is genius! I remember keeping EVERYTHING with my first child. By the birth of baby #3, it was overwhelming. I finally sorted them out, but learned not to repeat my error. Great motivational video, Steph. By the way, Your kids are so well behaved and funny. 😊
You did a great job! Paper is my organizing nemesis. I am better nowadays but I have several old boxes in the basement that need going through. My kids are 19 and 17 and I still have giant boxes of their artwork. They aren’t going to want all of that when they have their own homes!
Paperwork is the bane of my existence. I’ve gotten better in minimizing my paperwork but I struggle with the place for important items. I like your idea!
I love the idea to have one file for inportant papers and a separate file for reference and personal papers.
I have some file boxes similar to your personal papers one that I store my boys artwork/schoolwork in by year. It’s labeled from pre-school to the end of high school. Anything they bring home during the year that they deem special enough goes in that years file. At the end of every school year we go through the books that come home and tear out any work they’re super proud of and want to keep. We also have a quick glance at years past in their file to see if they want to remove anything else. The plan is when they leave home they will have just one file box with their school memorabilia in it which covers their entire schooling. Unlike the mountain of boxes I had. By going through it every year we keep only the most important things and by filing new stuff as we go and reviewing at the end of the year we keep it super manageable. Good luck keeping on top of your kids artwork I know what a mammoth task it can be.
All my six kids are artists and I love your idea of putting the artwork together by year with a clip.
Oh you know I am all about this paper declutter! I have most of our papers and receipts gathered in a room, away from the main area of the house and out of sight. My goal is to spend time every day decluttering them. It's still a work in progress!
Eek! I really need to get to our paper clutter. Especially kids artwork. I like the idea some have mentioned of the Sunday Folder, and Flylady Kat talks about doing One Inch a day of paper clutter to manage and not get overwhelmed. I think I'll start there. This was motivating for sure and Steph, thanks for being real and relatable AND inspiring! 🌻
I have never commented but I have to say I heard nothing once that sweet boy sat on your lap....I am going to have to re-watch this video because the cuteness overload was such a distraction....he was completely mesmerized....soooo precious!! 🤗🤗🤗
I have a big binder and file folders I'm tackling tomorrow. My goal is to narrow it down to half. Thanks for keeping things real in every video! Looking forward to tomorrow's inspiration. 😀
I recently got a label maker and love it! Yours looks like it's the same model as mine. You can do a chain print and then just cut the individual labels out. Saves loads of wasted extra tape.
The never ending paper clutter! Your toddler is so calm. Mine would be grabbing every paper and throwing it. I take pics of art work and keep it in a folder on my phone. My kindergartener loves going through it.
Paper clutter made me sleepless! lol. I decluttered in stages. I did the first big cleanup - just 2 piles, keep and get rid of about 3 years ago. Then in between lockdowns in 2020, i got organized and put papers in categories envelopes, and now about a month ago i scanned all the vital important papers, as well as semi important docs... Feels so good! .. Now i just gotta maintain it! :)
Paper clutter is the worst! Thanks for the encouragement to get it done!
I had to declutter about 50 notebooks 🤯! It was so crazy! That and my motor on my shredder overheated about 3 times before I was done shredding old documents.... This took so much time and showed so little in my home and yet is such a huge load off my shoulders!! Great job being our tow truck! And your kids are adorable 🥰
I have gotten soo much better with handling paper and it’s thanks to people like you who motivate us and remind us of the why behind decluttering. 😊 with that being said I still need to perfect my system to prevent papers from being everywhere and I still have piles I need to tackle…including lots of kids artwork as well 😬 progress not perfection 💪🏼
You've got some awesome helpers there! And I love that you labeled yourself "Mom" 😂😂👍 Great video as always, thank you for the inspiration!
I am a secret slob of paperwork among other things. For years, clean up for company consisted of a quick sort of urgent items (bills/checks) in a pile for the desk and the rest in a box (which was never looked at again). A month ago I started going through years of similar boxes, piles and envelopes. I took a box or so at a time (among other decluttering tasks) and sorted into really keep (copy of house records to go into the safe, very special letters or cards to go into a memory bin, etc.), discard in recycle, discard in shred, give to someone else. I'm still at it but very near the end. WHAT A task.
My older kids are both in high school and I had a lot of their artwork starting at preschool. I finally went thru them and let them pick what was important for them and kept some that were sentimental for me and got rid of all the other ones. Between them and my 2 younger ones I still have plenty of artwork to store. 😀
Your little kids are so precious! I loved how your little boy wanted to sit with you as you worked. It reminded me of when our son was little. Your little girl was so cute peeking around you, too! Such a sweet stage of life you are in right now, and you are doing an awesome job! I loved how you had the little label "Mom" on your shirt, too. So sweet! Your channel is just a joy to watch. I have been tackling paperwork, too, for about 2-3 weeks. Whew! The sentimental stuff is what hits me hardest. I am now going through a crate that was my dear parents', and I have been re-reading all the cards they gave me over the years. That is one thing I will not be getting rid of. I just can't. Knowing there will be no more cards from them is hard, and I truly do enjoy going back and re-reading them from time to time, especially when I am down and missing them so much. God bless you for all you do to encourage us here, Steph!
Steph
Good morning. I have reduced my paper clutter in a moment of desperation by leaps and bounds. However, the remaining “keepers” ends up in 2 reusable grocery bags. They have been sitting in a corner waiting to be addressed. Thank you for the kick in the pants to readdress them and get them to their final home.
Have a great day with your beautiful babies that are getting so big 😊
Your little helper is ADDORIBLE!!!
I love these smaller projects throughout the week. Much more manageable! My paperwork is mostly under control, but I do have a small stack of mail to sort through.
Paper clutter will be the last on my list.... I DREAD... but also seeing the piles all over just adds so much stress to my day. Thank you for the motivation, started with one small pile today and focused on getting it done!
Kids art work is so tough. I only keep the favourites now and especially the ones that show their personalities! If they drew it by hand and it wasn’t a copy cat that the whole class did, I for sure keep those. We have started a memory bin for each kid and they all go in there.
Didn't get to paperwork today, but it's on my things to do. I actually shared with my husband yesterday how I want us to manage paperwork going forward, and he thought it would work. Fingers crossed.
I try to go through filed papers once a year & deal with the daily stuff/mail everyday as soon as it comes in. It’s amazing how much we file away thinking we need it.
Thanks Steph for giving me a nudge. I'll save my paperwork for the weekend as it will take most of the day. The shedder will probably over heat. Anything important can be scanned and kept on a family cloud. Diane in Denmark has the important house documents in a red file and if there is a disaster and you only have time to go grab one thing, everything is in the one file. Xx take care, can't wait for the next one.
I picked up an old filing cabinet from a elderly lady and I've been planning to paint it and sort my mess of papers... Now I have some motivation to get it done! 🙂
Your first wardrobe declutter way back when inspired me to keep more colour in my closet. I appreciate Canadian content. Our winters are a slog now you are rural too so get all the extra winter stuff. I split kid keep ( now adults) from warranties ( blizzard here tomorrow perfect project to cull) from a one year file based on yours. Thank you. We are grandparents really hands on and kids come before perfectly tidy. I’d like to see how you organize and sort seasonal stuff like snow gear vs beach towels bathing suits and sports gear.
Papers of all kinds - kid art, household, medical, notes, greeting cards - are a problem for me. Nice to know I’m not the only one with a box (boxes/piles) of papers. Good job going through them! I tackled a small pile this evening:)
I just organized our important, hard to replace documents in a fire proof box that holds hanging files. All files are labeled with my label maker. Your videos are so timely and motivational! Thank you Steph for your hard work and guidance with these “projects”; they aren’t easy to tackle but it’s necessary and oh so satisfying when you’re done...at least until next time.