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15 October, 2014Having trouble reading this newsletter? Click here to see it in your browser.
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In this Issue
· Five documents you can purge right now· Choose broad categories over narrow· Enter to win a fire safe or fireproof storage box· Blog posts of the month
In Other News
I wrote a guest post for SentrySafe, the manufacturer of fire-proof storage solutions about how to choose what to store in a protected environment, like a fire-proof safe. If you've been wondering which of your items could use added protection, check it out.
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Know anyone who might be interested in our newsletter? Click here to forward this email to up to 5 friends at once. Five documents you can purge right nowI've noticed that many people are afraid to purge their files, for fear they'll destroy something they'll need later on. Those folks tend to have overstuffed file cabinets, which makes it hard to retrieve the items they really need. If you'd like to lighten up your paper load but are a little fearful, start with these documents.· Out-of-date agreements or policies. When you get a new insurance policy, you can shred the old one when you file the new one (unless you have an outstanding claim). Go ahead and toss the old ones now.· Paid bills that aren't tax-related. If you hang on to old bills after you pay them just because you always have, consider letting them go. Unless you actually consult them, they're just clogging up your files. If you want to keep the most recent year, try filing them by month, rather than by payee–they're much easier to file that way.· Old paycheck stubs and Social Security statements. If you have the last paycheck stub of the year, you don't need the ones from previous months that year, because they're cumulative. And if you have your last annual Social Security statement, which is also cumulative, you can part with prior years' statements.· Manuals for items you no longer own. It's the rare person who throws away a manual when he or she disposes of a gadget or appliance. Take a minute to go through your collection of manuals and throw away the ones that are no longer relevant.· Privacy notices. If you've been filing the boilerplate privacy notices that the government requires your credit card and other companies send you, just let them go. If you ever actually wanted to refer to one, just Google it.Important note: When you're doing your file purge, be sure to play it safe and shred anything with your Social Security Number or an account number on it.Once your files are purged of extraneous paper, it becomes easier to fie and easier to find what you need. Start weeding as you go, so that your files don't become overwhelming again. Choose broad categories over narrowWhen you're making new files in your file cabinet, resist the temptation to create very narrow categories that apply only to the papers you're filing at that time. Think of broader categories that will hold related papers as well. The broader the category, the easier it is to file. And since we don't actually retrieve much of what we file, ease of filing is paramount, in my book. For example, have a single file for each car, rather than separate files for car maintenance, car purchase, and car title. Enter to win a fire safe or fireproof storage boxI've partnered with SentrySafe to do a giveaway on my blog for a fireproof Alarm Safe and Guardian Storage Box (for files). You can read the review and enter to win on my blog post: Fire-proof storage: A review + giveaway. Don't procrastinate: the entry deadline is Sunday! Blog posts of the monthIn case you missed them, here are my favorite blog posts from the last month.Fire-proof storage: A review + giveaway, October 10, 2014Worth repeating: Regifting, October 6, 2014Getting back to basics with task management, October 3, 2014Building in re-entry time after a trip, September 29, 2014
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Peace of Mind Organizing, LLC
Janine Adams, CPO®, CPO-CD®
3022 Shenandoah Avenue
St. Louis MO 63104
314.707.3022