How to Get Organized--Papers Edition

Okay, so I have this...erm...problem. See, when papers come into our home, I tend to just stash them somewhere "out of the way", be that the top of the fridge, behind the bread box, in a pile on top of the entertainment center... you get the idea.

In fact, I asked Derek the other day, "Don't you just love that my current organizational system is 'stick it up high somewhere so no one can get to it?'" And indeed, he said he did love it.

I do not, however. It was starting to make me crazy. So, over the course of two days, (yes because it takes me two days to do anything lately) I collected all my stashes of paper and  other office-type items in a box.

From January 2011

Then I bought a big binder and a three-hole-punch (I really thought we had one... but my organizational skills... well, you get the idea.)

And VIOLA! An organized office space. It's GREAT! See?

From January 2011

From January 2011

The tabs are:

Home/House

Bills

Insurance

Taxes

School

Derek

Morgan 

Kids

Church

And now when a paper comes in, if it's important, it goes STRAIGHT in the binder. This is especially important because we are collecting W2s this time of year. SEVEN W2s to be exact. RIDICULOUS. 

Now, I feel all organized and happy. I know where important papers are, rather than having to call places and ask for NEW phone bills (which I have totally had to do before!). 

I am quite proud of my little binder. The key, I think is going to be MAINTAINING it. 

Sigh. 

In other news, Oliver has taken to calling "pineapples" "bubble-pines." HAHAHAHAH!