What do you do with all that paper/mail?

[mom2boys]

Seems like the Comm board is on a cleaning/organization kick. I need to get with that program. One of our biggest challanges is the mail and the kids' school work. We have a file for bills but other things just seem to accumulate. I sort the mail when it comes in but then it just gets put in piles on the kitchen counter. What do you do with things like magazines/sale flyers you want to read later? What about your children's school work? I like to keep it until the end of the marking period in case of any "surprises" on the report card. SO please share your secrets for taming the paper tiger.

 

[DisneyJules]

Didn't know others had those junk piles too,ahaha Man, they seem to get bigger and bigger with everyday. Eventually they get thrown into recycling.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

Having lived through being inundated with school papers when my big kids were young I started a new way when Isabella began kindergarten. I take all her papers except for the few we post on the "news" door and put them in a big plastic storage tub with a lid I keep in the basement on a shelf. Once a month or so I cull through and get rid of the majority of it. What I keep I'm going to continue to sort through during the year. At the end of the year I plan to put the contents into a large manila envelope, mark it "kindergarten" and store it away for her to have in the future. I didn't have a method when Jennie, Steve, Tim and Jeff were small and I regret it. When I come across some of their artwork, assignment papers, etc I'm always thrilled.

If I keep up with this she'll have a history of her life at school.
Also since Isabella has a bio mom who may one day actually get her act together enough to want to get to know more about her I will have samples of all her wonderous work.

And, frankly, on a day when I just have to tidy up it's a joy to toss the stuff into the box and deal with it later.

 

[caitycaity]

we have a little 4 ft. tall book case right as you walk in the door. the top of this bookcase has the phone and answering machine, and the top shelf has three lined baskets that i got from pier one (the rest of the shelves have books). 1 basket is mine, 1 is our "junk drawer", and 1 is dh's. when we get the mail and sort through it, we put mail for each person in their box. then we each try to go through our box every week so stuff doesn't get too junked up. it works really well and it's also a good way to make sure bills don't get misplaced too.

 

[grinningghost]

I put important papers like bills in a wooden letter holder by the phone. Every week I go through them and pay what's coming due. Junk mail is immediately thrown out. Magazines that I KNOW I'll read are kept on the counter. Anything that MIGHT get read, gets thrown out too. MIGHT usually means never.

 

[mom2boys]

Originally posted by grinningghost
Anything that MIGHT get read, gets thrown out too. MIGHT usually means never.

OK I think I should make this my new motto - MIGHT usually means never, MIGHT usually means never, MIGHT....

Now - I'm going back in. Company's coming for the weekend - very neat & tidy company - love the company - hate the stress of getting the house ready - especially since my 8 yr old's room doubles as the guest room -so much to do, so little time.

 

[Cruisin]

We are having company for three weeks from Holland and they are staying at our house the whole time.

Needless to say we have a ton of cleaning up and clearing out to do before then. We are a bunch of pack rats and we never like to throw anything away.

Only 65 more cleaning days left , and here I sit on the DISBoards.

Oh well, what doesn't get done, doesn't get done.

 

[frannn]

All my piles are left on the kitchen counter. When those piles get too high or I have company, I throw everything in a bag and the bag into a cabinet in the kitchen. By the time I pull the bag out to look through it, everything's outdated anyway, so into the trash it goes! But, what about the rest of my stuff? That stays in its piles, just out of site.

 

[danacara]

I literally open the mail right over the trash can. And I love that "might get read means throw it out" motto! That's so me!

I am the anti-clutter queen. I love seeing yards and yards of smooth, bare countertops and tables.

Lots of people have success with www.Flylady.com - might want to check that out!

 

[DisneyObsessed]

Betcha my pile's bigger than yours.

 

[maleficent1959]

I'm with Danacara. I open my mail by the trash where I throw junk mail, catalogs and other fliers. Catalogs just make me want stuff that will only clutter up my house, so I don't even look at them. There's not much left when I weed out the junk. Bills are paid automatically so they get recorded and then filed. Other bills, like CC or medical bills, are placed in a little wire rack until Wednesday, when I pay whatever bills have accumulated then they are filed. We have a rack for magazines and when the new one comes the old one gets tossed.

I HATE paper clutter.

 

[Kimickey]

My trash can loves it's daily meal of paper!