organizing paperwork for a remodel
plumberry
10 years ago
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a2gemini
10 years agotexaspenny
10 years agoRelated Discussions
Spring Fever organizing
Comments (23)I've been working on part of the pantry. One of the sections with doors then I may tackle the open shelves. I have a bunch of boxes on my counter of pudding and pancake mix that will outdate soon, so we have to eat them! I also threw a bunch of stuff away or on the compost pile depending on what it was. What was I thinking! That is the problem with an old pantry with tall shelves that I can't see to the back of. So far on a lower shelf the extra spice section, nut butters and cereal is all nice and organized (most of my spices are near the stove). And the area where all these mixes were is empty while I decide what to put back in and how to keep track when i can barely see. I'm considering putting my roasting pan up there and maybe my pressure cooker because I use them only a few times a year. Then I could put mixes and baking supplies like cocoa in more accessible cupboards in the kitchen. (I have only lower cupboards in the kitchen.) The shelf above these that I've been working on has cook books I've been keeping for sentimental value, but haven't looked at in the 7 years since I moved them and things like matches and muffin tin papers. I need to buy another cute stool to keep in the pantry because my dh took the one I had in there to the cellar because it is just the right height for one of his projects. What do other people keep on high invisible shelves? Kathy...See MoreCan't do Top Down - only bottom up organizing
Comments (3)Alice, Are you familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator? It's a system of categorizing personality types that breaks down personality on four scales. One of the scales directly addresses whether one tends to see more of the big picture or the component parts. Me, I'm the exact opposite of you. I see the way things fit together intuitively, but have a terrible time actually working out the details. As I've grown older, I can do it a bit better, but it's always a struggle. I'm sure that others have a different view of things, but I prefer to play to my strengths. I have a very good friend whose mind works more like yours, and she and I work well together. We use each other as resources for getting a view from a very different angle. That's probably not what you're looking for, and I actually do try to see or do things from a different vantage point, but it's pretty much how I do things. Here is a link that might be useful: Myers-Briggs...See MoreOrganizing Papers Without an Office
Comments (12)Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I have to be honest, if there was a scale for clutteres, I would probably be at about the 80th percentile, in other words I am still in the range of normal but just barely! You can walk in my house (unlike some other places I have heard of but never seen where theere is just room for a path) and I allow company in but no one walks in and says how well organized my house it. Most of the compliments focus on the big yard (it is) if that tells you anything. Thanks for all your words of advice. I get at least 15 account statements each month not including basic bills such as cable, electric etc. We have retirement accounts and each kid has his own account. a lot of it is crap but some I do need to keep but not to access immediately or do anythign with. Scanning would take forever although I have previously done that with certain important papers that need to be shown from time to time such as birthcertificates, I print one out when I need it. Also I have had computer crashes in the past so I worry about that being lost. I have tried drawers, those narrow plastic Iris ones and that just does not work, I ended up dumping things in there. I have bought a lot of baskets in the last Two years with the idea of just having one basket in the dining room with my important stuff and one in a To be filed but I just ended up with a lot of baskets of junk. Twice I tried the small file for important papers, one using a plastic magazie thing and once getting a pretty Blue Toile one from Target. That one sits in my bedroom with my important papers from 2003 still in it! Obviously they were not that important. I have a file cabinet box (3 stacked 12 x 20 boxes that sit on top of each other). That has my important papers from 1996 in it including things like instructions for a cannister vac I no longer own and yes I know for the most part I no longer need to keep any of it for tax purposes). It takes up room in my upstairs closet. As for for the kids stuff, I really have no place to put it on the walls since I am painting and its a long term project. My solution is to get soem plastic bins and store the stuff in the attic. I will usually put their most recent 100 test or project on the fridege. I have a walk up attic that is great as storage space but cannot be used as living space by code. Since there is still plenty of room up there I figure storing it neatly in plastic bins is a solution (yes I know that this will just lead to more sorting in a few years or when we sell which could be only a year from now). I worry that in my old age or when they are adults they will want to see their early work! I know its silly but I cannot get over it. I guess the litmus test for me is whether its worth scanning into the computer, if its not then its probably not worth keeping. Still I hate the idea of thorwing out their work. Its frustrating and yes I do like to clutter and I need to get over it. Gloria you are absolutly right. However I am afraid of purging. For example Two days a go I was sorting my dining room mess and threw out what I thought were duplicate menus to our local Chinese place (at least 3 of them). Last night we got home late and the kids wanted Chinese! It tok me 30 minutes to find a menu that I had. Stuff like that always seems to happen! I threw out a light cover to a lamp I thought was broken (kids had gotten hold of it so it was off the lamp). Right before I considered tossing I gijjered with it and got it to work but now its missing hte little plastic sleeve that goes over the bulb and my lamp store does not sell them! I am definitely of the what if I need it variety! Drives DH crazy. He tosses his clothes if they have not been worn in 6 months, I have my lucky exam sweatshirt from college I tried going on the flylady site to find instructions on paper clutter but found it difficult to navigate So I guess there is no perfect system and I still have not found the one that I can stick to, sort of like a diet Thanks Saph...See MoreOrganizing Paper in the Kitchen
Comments (5)I can't show you pictures as we're still under installation. But I've done a 5' desk, with two banks of drawers (including two for filing), pigeon holes above (for mail, phone books, things we need to reference easily) and cupboards with doors (for cookbooks), plus a decorative shelf. I do anticipate the desk "overtaking the space" but right now, it's the kitchen table that takes over, and we hate that. The desk is kind of out of the way, so the clutter won't be super visible. My kids are 4 and 6, and there is a lot of colouring and art activity that takes place at the kitchen table, that just get shoved to the empty spot on the table at mealtime, and just accumulates. I want to be able to pick all that up and dump it somewhere that isn't where I'm eating! It'll also be big enough for our various phone/battery chargers, laptop, phone, etc. And will make a nice serving area for parties - after I sweep all the crap into a drawer :). It's counter height....See Morejoaniepoanie
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