Simplify Your Life: Get Out from Under that Paperwork!

We are all electronically connected. We have emails, texts, and all that social media that keeps us so busy. Our finances, memories, agendas are safely (?) stored online or in clouds. So why do we still have all that paper clutter invading our space? Well, some people just don't know what to throw away!

Lots of stuff can be stored in your computer. Are you afraid it will be lost of stolen? Well yes, both can happen. But there are some things you can do to keep your stuff both safe and protected. For example, you can always have a backup external drive. You can use a flash drive if you use more than one pc and now a days they easily sync back and forth. We all know that there are many applications that will keep your data synced on all your devices. This goes across all platforms. Now I am not going to give you a technical review as to which product to use to store and sync your stuff. But I will suggest what you should store.

First of all, some documents need to be originals such as birth certificates, social security cards, deeds, etc. We know what we need originals for.....all that official stuff. But there are many things you need to store but you don't need an original. A scanned copy of the original will do. If you don't have a scanner you can download great free scanners for your phone. I use Quick pdf Scanner.

Here are some things you can scan and save:

1. Insurance documents
2. Warrantees (make sure first, it will be written on the document)
3. Receipts (make sure first, ask the vendor)
4. Correspondence
5. Telephone numbers/Business Cards (How many of those do you have? Its time to toss or store in your contact list)
6. Greeting Cards!  I know this is hard, but unless it is really really sentimentally important toss them or frame them. Another idea is to scan them and keep a file on your pc with the cards you have received.

Then there are those papers you keep on the kitchen counter or on the dinning room table until you have time to get to them. This is inevitable in our busy lives. I keep a small basket with papers that I know I have to take action on but don't require immediate attention. On holidays or long weekends my must-do is to empty out the basket and execute those needed but not urgent tasks. Yes, I know if I were better I could schedule this for every weekend, but....it is what it is. For the papers that require immediate attention, well the word is self explanatory; DO IT IMMIDIATELY!

And who doesn't have a filing cabinet? Spring cleaning is the time to go through this for me. It depends on how many documents you acquire through the year. Once a year may not be enough for you but don't ever file it and forget it or your home will end up looking like an office with filing cabinets storing long forgotten and useless documents.

Simplify Your Life with me!

Everyone talks about stress but who is actually doing something about it. Well, its time we did. "We" yes, lets do it together. I will a series of essays about what I did to simplify my life and I hope you will join me in the journey and in taking action too. Hey, give me tips and encouragement. We can do this together. There are different types of simplification. Let me show you what I mean: 1. Material Simplification We all know about clutter. It is the simplest yet the most difficult place to start. All that clutter that you hate just can't get rid of. Well, clutter occupies your space and your mind. You will feel refreshed and relieved when you get rid of clutter. The space you live in will be simplified and clear. But your mind will too. Think about it, how do you know you have that little kitty figuring from a hundred years ago? How do you know where it was last you saw it? All that stuff is stored in your mind. Clutter and unnecessary information. Why occupy you mind and your space with it? Lets make room for something really important and hopefully enjoyable. 2. Worry Everyone says it, don't worry it will be ok. But still you worry. Even when there is nothing you can do about it. Well its time you stop for real and let things that you cannot control go and unravel as they may. Just let it go. No more fussing about things that are eating you up inside while there is nothing in your power to change them. Yes, I know that is hard to do but it doesn't mean that it isn't doable. So lets begin: Physical Clutter Go through one draw at a time or one room and dig through the corners and all those hiding places you call storage. Take out everything you haven't used in at least a year and gift it, donate it, or sell it. Now be careful about the selling part because that can be tricky. Sometimes you value something more than others will and you can't sell it so you end up keeping it which defeats the purpose of getting rid of it to begin with. If you haven't been able to sell something in a month its time to slash the price or change the category to "donate". Take the tax deduction instead of the sale profit. After doing your search and tackle of clutter, you know there will still be things left behind. Keep a bin or box next to your door. Every time you come something you realize you really don't need, put it in that box. Donate all the contents of that box. You will feel so much better. Mental Clutter - Worry Lots of things make up mental clutter, but we are tackling "worry" first. Throughout the day you will worry about the silliest things, did you water the plants?, will your friend call you?, will you have time to go to the grocery store? - this is all stuff that clutters your mind and you really shouldn't ponder on, but sometimes you find yourself worrying about the silliest commonalities that you don't even consider it worrying. STOP, if you need to water the plants just do it, if you forgot, then tell yourself when you get home you will do it and don't think about it again until you get home. Don't let silly things linger in your mind and become insignificant sources of worry.