Welcome back to Day 24 of our {Freedom From Clutter in 40 Days} challenge! I hoped you’ve joined our Facebook Group so you’re not missing anything! We are more than half way there and by now I’m sure you are seeing big changes! Remember we want it to stay this way so make sure you read my post on 5 Ways to Prevent Clutter that I shared last week! There are so many little changes that you can make that make a big difference.
I’ve mainly been focusing on decluttering my kitchen the last few weeks but this past week I needed to focus on a different area for the week. Normally I like to finish one area before tackling a new one but this was a necessity.
Tax season is upon us and my Home Office was in disarray so I took a little break from the kitchen to get my bills and documents in order. I also have two children in college so it’s also time to fill out those FAFSA forms. I never look forward to either of these tasks but I know it wouldn’t be as bad if my Home Office was a bit more organized so today I’m going to share my method of Decluttering your Home Office with you.
Keep in mind I’m not an expert so if you have a question about what you should keep and what you should throw out you might want to consult an expert for that.
Clean out your files: I do have a filing system but it kind of got out of control. It was overstuffed with old bills and receipts that I no longer needed. So the first thing I needed to do before I could tackle all the random piles around the house was to make room for what really needed to be saved. A lot of these things may have personal information on them so make sure they are destroyed. Shred or burn them.
Get 2 bins and start sorting: Now that your files are cleaned out you should have room to put the important papers that do need to be saved. How long is this going to take? It depends on how big your piles are. If you have ten years worth of stuff it’s probably going to take quite some time but don’t get discouraged. The hardest part is getting started. Devote a little bit of time each day and those piles will begin to shrink. One bin is going to be for the stuff that can be thrown out or shredded and the other bin is going to be your “to be filed” bin. Once your bins are filled you can move on to the next step.
Destroy old bills and paperwork: A lot of what you are getting rid of may have your personal information and account numbers on it so you’ll want to make sure you either shred or burn it. Once you get rid of this pile things will definitely be looking a lot better!
File important papers: Now you can fill your files with the important papers and documents that you do need to save. Remember to go through your files on a regular basis and weed out the things you don’t need to save. Many bills can be thrown out the next month once you receive the new one. If you are unsure about what needs to be saved, for how long and what can be thrown out you can check out this list by clicking here. It’s also a good idea to have a “Fire Box” for documents such as birth certificates, Titles, Wills and things of that nature. Another helpful tip…Keep extra empty files handy so when you get something new that needs to be saved you can give it a proper home.
If you haven’t already filed your taxes and are putting it off because your filing system is a wreck then nows the time. It’s not as bad as it looks once you get started. The key is to just start. Having an organized clutter free home office will reduce your stress and save you time when you need to find “that piece of paper”.
I hope you are enjoying our {Freedom From Clutter in 40 Days} challenge. When you’re done Decluttering your Home Office remember to visit Lydia so see her post this week “Clearing Out the Stash” and Christina’s post “Declutter Challenge: Are Duplicates Creating Clutter for You?”
You can really work up an appetite Decluttering! Here are some of my latest recipes to keep you refueled! Just click on the picture for the recipe.
This is such great advice Nicole. I know that searching for things I need in my piles of paperwork is always a source of frustration for me. It’s time to tackle those piles and finally get my desk organized. I think a lot of it is just a matter of taking the time to do it. My desk at work is super organized. It’s almost like I’m two different people. Time to bring “work Christina” home and tackle some projects.