Sunday, November 22, 2009

Organizing your life in Binders

One of the most helpful tips I have ever come across was in regards to paper clutter. We all have it. Those odds and ends that you just have to hold on too. So what do you do with it all? Well the old days of filing are just too out of date and nothing gives you more control then organizing your life in binders. I am happy to say at any moment I know exactly where to find things, and that is a huge relief.

While everyone has a different system accommodating to their own needs here is a brief example of what works for our family. I am sure this process will evolve with time, but this is what I have as of now and it works great.

When my husband and I first moved in together he had a system he refers to as organized chaos, or in my vocabulary mass headache. Nothing could be found. Papers were strewn about in boxes drawers and all throughout the house.

So I took upon the task of getting it all organized. Now that in itself is a process, but let me tell you how much fun that is in German. Oh man!!! lol

So here is what I have as of now:

Binder 1: Husbands work and education history- this includes all school related papers, grade sheets, certificates, and degrees. As well as all work history documents- work contracts, pay stubs, old tax cards, vacation cards, important letters from employers

Binder 2: All government affiliated paperwork- unemployment, retirement, financial administration

Binder 3: Household- rental contracts, electric bills and contract, telephone contracts, health insurance

Binder 4: All things financial- banking, investments, insurances

Binder 5: Mine: Now I have only lived overseas a year so my paperwork is much less at this time thus it is easier just to keep it all together in one binder this includes- banking, bills, health insurance or records, and any misc documents I need to keep

I keep these all nicely tucked away in a bookshelf. I do have a separate folder for currents months bills, or applicable documents and I file those away after being paid.

So how do you organize your papers?

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