I think your stackers can be a good thing for you, but I do think you need some sort of "deep storage," and it does NOT have to be there. it might be easier if it were, but oh well. You live in the real world. So you'll need to find some other place to keep papers that are longer term, not needed for reference, but needed to access now and then. So use the file box or tote, and go get it when it's "paperwork processing time." And what goes in there is stuff you don't intend to refer to in the next four months. Stuff you *will* refer to can stay in the stackers. As I mentioned before, I think if you live with it for a while, your eyes open to what's working (which you have), you'll figure out for your own situation what's just permanently floating in the stackers and should get filed away (or tossed) You say you have more kitchen storage, which is great, but maybe spend a half a cabinet on a file box for stuff that's not in action at the moment? Insurance forms (unless you can download), etc.? I think a long-term, ONGOING project like the Girl Scout project *belongs* in the stacker. You need to look at it, put stuff with it, etc., every week or so, maybe even more often, so of course it goes in a high-profile spot. But paid bills don't go there. (some people even TOSS their paid bills) Personally I would--do--stick the report cards in deep, deep storage. "Heirlooms & Mementoes" storage, deep in the closet. I don't refer to them again, but if I needed them for some reason (not sure why--not even applying for a new school would require them), I could dig them out. I agree w/ you about your need to get tougher--I think most of us have a procrastination problem (well, mayb enot Ginger, LOL, but *most* of us). I have only JUST this year gotten good w/ schoolwork papers. I toss 'em pretty rapidly. Fortunately, my son's teacher has a "sign and return" stamp, so I know which ones she wants back; the rest go in the trash. I figure, if I haven't had time to discuss them w/ the kids in the 2 days following when the papers came home, it'll be too late to make much of a difference. I'm lucky, in that there's not usually much to say--"oh, I see you skipped over that one; watch more carefully" is about it--bcs they usually understand their schoolwork. They get sloppy, but I don't need to spend much time on that. I try to review the schoolwork briefly when I'm doing the school forms (the ones that you won't let leave the backpack? wise you! I got that concept last year, an am enjoying it this year), and try to deal w/ them the same way. It would be harder if I needed to review stuff with them--if they were struggling w/ the concepts. I used to try, to reinforce by reviewing, and finally just gave up--I never had time to, and decided that, since the kids were basically doing fine, I didn't need to be their tutor, too. It has saved me no end of time and guilt. I think if DD was having trouble w/ fractions, for example, and I wanted to sit w/ her for 15 or 20 minutes to coach, I'd have a tougher time, but I might still not want to keep the paper. Or, maybe that would be the ONE paper I kept, and the rest got tossed. I have gotten absolutely RUTHLESS about paper. I had a basket that was collecting paperwork I needed to "do something with" or "might do something with." And it just ended up really dragging down the house. Ostensibly it was for bills to pay, but other stuff went there, too, and it was just a huge mess. I went through it in early Dec. when my mom was here, and was amazed at how useless all that stuff was. I throw SO much out now. (I know what you mean about keeping your hands out of each other's paperwork, but are you SURE your DH couldn't give you one of his 4 drawers? Not for frequently used stuff--your stackers should help w/ that--but for deeper filing? You really need some place, and I bet he's got stuff that could go--4 drawers is an awful lot. Think about it, send up a trial balloon. You wouldn't have to OPEN the other drawers, so your hands would still be off his paperwork...)

Oh Brenda, my sympathy too. I learned a valuable lesson on 'loaning' anyone my computer a few years ago. My sister and BIL were visiting and he was so bored I let him web surf my computer. Since he literally is a rocket scientist (works for NASA programming satellites, has a PhD in physics) I assumed he knew what he was doing and couldn't possibly mess anything up. Well,he decided without even asking me to change my background picture. Whatever he did, it absolutely destroyed my machine. The entire hard drive had to be wiped and reinstalled, and even the tech wizards couldn't figure out how the he** he got it so impossibly scrambled. Since I work a flex/reduced office schedule I depend on that computer so like you Brenda, it really put a crimp in my work system. I hope you get everything cleared up fast. Oh, and lesson learned for me--I NEVER let anyone near my computer now! Ann

I'm happy with the realtor - he showed us plenty of comps - 3br 2ba rancherss & 4br colonials. Prob is no capes have sold in the past yr. & the capes on the market now are a totally different house plan are older & in a less desirable section. No one has basements (slab). We have 2 car garage - some of the comps have 1 some have 2. Some have renovated a little, some have none. They're all cookie cutter development houses. So I did list "higher" to test the waters so to speak. There is 1 of our type on the market at $325k (but with more br's they added on a hatchet job the downstairs - will NEVER sell at that price, then the one at $197 that started at $249 they just took it off the market - didn't sell. We are at $174,900. I really think it will sell around $150 in the end but was hoping since ours with the larger 13x24 master suite downstairs (not chopped into 2 brs like the others) & better location would get some interest. So, it's not like I'm against the price reduction but my original question was about the weather wondering to hold off a couple more weekends. Looks like it does - so I might. Thanks

I am an attorney and handle probate sales. I really would be happier if buyers used certain realtors who have some clue how probate sales go. There is nothing worse than buyers getting an arrogant "know it all" realtor who actually does not know what they are doing in an area that is a little different. If the bank officer wants to sell the property (and they are anxious to do it) then directing you to somebody who will sell that property and knows how to do a bank sale seems sensible. An outside realtor might just direct you to one of their own listings and the bank would lose a sale. Yes, they are giving you inside information as to what they will accept--other sellers who are anxious will do the same thing. I don't understand the problem; the bank isn't supposed to pretend to be coy--a real estate owned property is a black mark against the bank. They made a mistake lending money --they want to sell usually. I have never received kick backs from anybody I deal with--escrow companies, etc. but its so much more work dealing with people who claim they know how to do certain types of sales and do not. Usually about 1 day before the close--suddenly they realize that a city needs to do an inspection, the lender needs a second set of Certified Probate Letters, etc. We call & write often --do you need anything? but it doesn't help if you are dealing with a "know it all".