Comments on: How to organize office files and end office clutter

By: Eren Mckay

Eren Mckay — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 07:39:08 +0000

Hi Melanie,
I so hear you. It takes a while to find a method that fits into our personality and lifestyle. Sometimes something will work for one person and completely not work for another. Sometimes the family situation also may hinder a certain system. So it’s all about trial and error and finally finding a system that is functional.
x ♥ x ♥,
Eren

By: Melanie (ModernMami)

Melanie (ModernMami) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:33:22 +0000

We’ve tried several different methods but somehow always end up with little stacks on our kitchen counter from when we walked into the house after getting the mail. Thankfully, all but one of our bills are paid online, so we’re not usually needing to look for a bill at the last minute.

By: Eren Mckay

Eren Mckay — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 01:28:57 +0000

@Drake - Those are some really great tips you gave on keeping your things organized. Especially the one about emailing yourself things that need to get done. That’s a great tip especially if you incorporate it into google calendar which automatically sends you an email on the date you have an appointment.

@Cherrie -I hear you on all that work that we need to keep on top of just so the clutter doesn’t mount up. And the kids .. well that’s a whole ‘nother ball game -lol

@Debbie- Those videos really inspired me. That’s why I really wanted to share them with everyone. They broke it down into simple steps. Organizing is a process and we just have to keep on it.

@ Kim -A simple and quick tip about important papers is to separate one drawer for them. Just one drawer and always put all important papers that you will need to go through in that one drawer. That way you always know where the paper will be. It’s either in that one drawer or already put away where it’s supposed to be. Hope this helps my friend.

Blessings always ♥,
Eren

By: Kim

Kim — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:20:21 +0000

OMG, I lose papers all the time. I drive my hubs insane! I’ll stick them one place, he’ll move them cleaning & then we’re lucky if we ever find them again!

By: Debbie Lattuga

Debbie Lattuga — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 21:38:27 +0000

Boy, you speak to my heart. Paperwork is a mountain in our house. Love the videos.

Now I’ve got a plan!

By: Young And Fabulous

Young And Fabulous — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:59:35 +0000

Very valuable article, Eren. I hate clutter. Everyday, I go and open the mails and I shred everything I don’t need, aka junk so it doesn’t build up on me. Most of my bills are sent electronic and are scheduled to be paid automatically. I have a bin for receipts that I go through once a week to reconcile on my quicken, and once done, I put them in a ziplock bag with year on it, filed in a drawer. Keeping the receipts for tax purposes. But maybe I can start looking into receipt scanners (if there’s one) so I don’t have to keep them?

Now with my kids’ clutters, that’s a different story and never ending, lol!

By: Drake

Drake — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 00:19:12 +0000

Sire, a lot of cell phones have a voice recorder option which I use all the time for reminders and notes when paper’s not handy. I replay the message when I have the chance to write it down. I will also send myself an email message to remind me of things. Just a thought in case it helps.

By: Eren Mckay

Eren Mckay — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 05:58:44 +0000

@ Henry - So glad that these tips have helped you. They come from personal experience .

@Cynthia - Those are some great tips. Putting the notes that we write to ourselves in a place where we will actually use them is what will make note taking functional. I also tell myself to do things out loud so that I will remember. It’s a great way to jog the memory. Thanks for your great comment .

Blessings always ♥,
Eren

By: cynthia

cynthia — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 01:52:28 +0000

To all of us organizational high achievers thank you for the tips. When you are extremely busy and you find your bills piling or misplaced and the notes you scrabbled important names and numbers are in the wash it means it’s time to STOP and DISCIPLINE ourselves. Use a monthly calendar like the Thomas Kincade Deskbook Monthly Deskbook Organizer which has everything we need to organize our bills.When writing on sticky notes or scrap paper have a small catch all container like a basket,glass jar even a dish with some heavy paper weight (I use a yankee candle jar lid labeled “important notes” near the entryway or next to your phone. Hope this helps and please relax and take time to say outloud to yourself I”M putting my bills and notes where I can find them. Eventually it will be second nature and become less stressed and save more time for you. Cy loves to help.

By: henry

henry — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 03:52:04 +0000

id like to say that this tips are really helpful..thank you more power to your site..

By: Eren Mckay

Eren Mckay — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 03:14:10 +0000

LOL- yeah – I can totally relate to what you’re saying. It’s all about remembering to put the papers back into the folder. That’s the habit that needs to be established.
I think we all have had important papers go through the wash .

By: Sire

Sire — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 02:08:09 +0000

Yeah, but the thing is that the folder is not always handy as I may be elsewhere when the calls come in. I have put the paper in my pocket, but then I forget about it and it goes through the wash

By: Eren Mckay

Eren Mckay — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:22:30 +0000

Well the idea of a notebook is a good one if you keep that notebook on you at all times. Since that is not usually the case and we end up writing on whatever is near us, then the best idea is to unite all those sheets of paper in one place. That’s why the folder next to the phone would be a place to store all those scraps in one easy to find area.
Organization is more about functionality. So when we think of a strategy we need to think of one that will work for our specific situation.
We have to ask ourselves questions based on our lifestyle and personality about what will actually work.
So the idea of gathering the papers into a folder will give you the freedom to jot down the information on whatever you have in front of you as long as you place it in that folder after you’re done jotting it down. This will make it easy to find later. Having a holding place for that kind of information is essential to find it later.
Does that help- or did I ramble on (LOL)?

By: Sire

Sire — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:19:46 +0000

That would have worked in the old days, but those damn mobile phones have put a stop to that. Now I can get phone calls when I’m gardening, in the loo, in the shed or whatever and I jot things down on anything handy, including my hand. Perhaps I should start carrying a little note book?

By: Eren Mckay

Eren Mckay — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:57:18 +0000

Hi Sire,
It seems like you have everything pretty well organized. In relation to your phone calls the best things is to have a small folder that stays right next to the phone and some loose sheets of paper. After you write your notes down just keep them all put into that folder. That way you can take the paper with you anywhere you go and have the freedom of writing on anything you find and then after that just place it in the folder.
Hope this works for you
Eren Mckay

By: Sire

Sire — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:34:44 +0000

My desk is kind of a mess but as long as no-one touches anything I can usually find what I want. As for my bills, they all go in the same compartment and I add them into my computer organizer so that I am notified when they have to be paid.

My biggest problem is taking notes from a phone call that I’ve scribbled on a piece of scrap paper and then not knowing where I’ve put them.

By: Eren Mckay

Eren Mckay — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:07:06 +0000

That’s awesome Maria.
Organizing documents and papers is a pretty big task so cutting it down into small pieces also helps a lot.
I tend to do a little bit each day or even to separate entire days to keep things maintained.
Thanks for coming over
Eren

By: Maria@Conversations with Moms

Maria@Conversations with Moms — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:30:17 +0000

Cool. I do a sort of version of these tips. Every since I put a calendar and folder to my bills, I find it so much easier to be organized. Plus, it gives me a quick glance of future bills due.

By: Eren Mckay

Eren Mckay — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:39:49 +0000

Hi Natural I love the idea of the bills with a calendar- very cool idea.
I also have file folders and I plan on taking the day today to spend hours and hours organizing.
It’s such a huge job but so essential for a stress free life.
All the best,
Eren

By: Natural

Natural — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 02:05:28 +0000

these are great tips and a subject close to my heart. yeah it’s true.i love organizing stuff. i’m cleaning out closets right now, but i’m on a break.

i keep my papers right next to my computer – because i’m always on the computer. i have the folders labled. and for my bills i keep in a calendar, the one that opens like a book. if i put everything in the same place, it’s a lot easier to find. i hate looking for stuff.