Getting Organized:
In your home and homeschool
Dear Friends,
Recently someone asked me about dealing with a lot of papers that are many years old. She has been struggling with all types of clutter, but the paper clutter is some of hers and some of it for a family member who has passed away several years ago.
When a family member of mine passed away, I was appointed as the Executrix. I had to go through mounds of paperwork. Some of the papers were more than 20 years old, but they contained personal information. I did not want this paper to get into the hands of someone who could use it to steal the identity.
The first step in the process was to get some empty boxes out. I labeled them as trash, recycle, or file. As I was sorting, I jotted down the titles I would need to make file folders. Since these were not my papers, I was handling these papers more than once. It was an overwhelming amount of paper. It took more than a month to sort and deal with the papers.
Each day, I made file folders and filed the papers that I needed to keep for the estate settlement. I did not wait until the end of the process to make the file folders. I just did it a little at a time.
When I was finished with the first sorting, I had a large box of papers that needed to be shredded. It was more than I wanted to do at home, so I looked for a company that did bulk shredding in my area. I took the papers and paid per pound to have the papers professionally shredded.
Some of you have a backlog of papers in your home, and you just don’t know how to get rid of them safely. It’s important that you protect your identifying information. Some of you will be getting rid of old tax returns this year as you finish your taxes for 2017. Some of you have a lot of homeschool papers that you don’t know how to get them out of your house.
Do some research. Invest in a good-quality shredder. Look for a business that does bulk shredding. You have options available. In the past, I have used a burn barrel when we had a particularly wet season. You could have a small bonfire and roast marshmallows one evening if you have a lot of papers to burn.
Don’t let papers overwhelm your home. Spend a few minutes daily getting paper out of your home.
Your Zone Mission today is to declutter in the Dining Room.
Your Home Blessing for today is to wipe your windows and mirrors.
My menu plan for Wednesday is pork chops. Salad and veggies for me.
Have a great day!
