Do you have a pile of paper work from your kids school, clubs, sports or PTA that is worth keeping for a few weeks but taking over your life? The small mountain on the corner of a shelf or on the desk. The one you move 100 different places during the year. I surely am not the only one that has a pile with miles. You move it because company is coming. It is an eyesore so you move it here and then over there. You don't know what to do with it. I have a solution!
I have three kids and the paper work from outside the house is a forest full of trees. For example, the "Don't Eat This List" from the orthodontist that my oldest reads like the bible, the PTA newsletters, or the softball schedules. I don't have enough room on my refrigerator for it all. I tried to read things and throw them away as I got them but I would forget all the details. I started a pile in the kitchen one day and it was there for years. Literally! I would go through it at times and toss old material but there had to be a better way. When I did need something I couldn't find it in my pile. I was very frustrated with this pile of sometimes useful information.
In my quest to make life simple and declutter. I saw a really great article in Better Homes and Gardens on how to organized papers that you need to keep around in a notebook. I loved the idea but had a hard time finding a folder that was cute, affordable, fashionable, or even one to match my decor. It is meant to be out on a shelf or on a table. This notebook has become a great way to declutter and get organized. It was super easy and can be tailored to your personality. If I could get the school to send home papers already three hole punched I would be a very happy girl.
I put five tab dividers inside. One tab for each of my children, one for their school, and one misc tab. Behind each personal tab I put their school schedule, weekly class newspaper, parent information, and field trip date and time papers. Under the school tab I put the school menu for the month, PTA newsletter, and the school newsletter. I may or may not look at these papers again but it is nice to find it when and if I need it. I toss them out when I get a new one or when an event is over.
This system like any system, you have to take a few minutes every other day at most to make it work. What a difference it has made for my inner peace. I hated seeing the P-I-L-E and would cringe if I needed to find something. So far this system is really working for me. I now can find the answer quickly for questions like, "When is my field trip?" or "What is for lunch?". No more messy pile with miles.
I have three kids and the paper work from outside the house is a forest full of trees. For example, the "Don't Eat This List" from the orthodontist that my oldest reads like the bible, the PTA newsletters, or the softball schedules. I don't have enough room on my refrigerator for it all. I tried to read things and throw them away as I got them but I would forget all the details. I started a pile in the kitchen one day and it was there for years. Literally! I would go through it at times and toss old material but there had to be a better way. When I did need something I couldn't find it in my pile. I was very frustrated with this pile of sometimes useful information.
In my quest to make life simple and declutter. I saw a really great article in Better Homes and Gardens on how to organized papers that you need to keep around in a notebook. I loved the idea but had a hard time finding a folder that was cute, affordable, fashionable, or even one to match my decor. It is meant to be out on a shelf or on a table. This notebook has become a great way to declutter and get organized. It was super easy and can be tailored to your personality. If I could get the school to send home papers already three hole punched I would be a very happy girl.
Materials:
Folder with cover page pocket front
5 tab dividers
at least two pieces of 12x12 paper or 8.5 by 11.
Letter stickers for labels
I took a couple pieces of 12 x 12 scrap paper that I loved and made a cover page that matched my decor and also made a side binding slip of paper. That easy! I measured, tore, taped and slipped it in the cover pocket. You could get super fancy but sometimes, LESS IS MORE.
I put five tab dividers inside. One tab for each of my children, one for their school, and one misc tab. Behind each personal tab I put their school schedule, weekly class newspaper, parent information, and field trip date and time papers. Under the school tab I put the school menu for the month, PTA newsletter, and the school newsletter. I may or may not look at these papers again but it is nice to find it when and if I need it. I toss them out when I get a new one or when an event is over.
This system like any system, you have to take a few minutes every other day at most to make it work. What a difference it has made for my inner peace. I hated seeing the P-I-L-E and would cringe if I needed to find something. So far this system is really working for me. I now can find the answer quickly for questions like, "When is my field trip?" or "What is for lunch?". No more messy pile with miles.
Comments