Making paperwork sexy

Ok, maybe paperwork is not sexy.  But I am working hard to make my little forays into the paperwork bins less onerous.

Mmm - big sexy bag of shredded paper...

See the Mary Engelbreit file folder in the crate?  That's my kind of sexy: cute office supplies.  Functional, and nice to look at.

I lost track of some important documents (like my social security card, for one) sometime in my last move.  Didn't actually find this out until I went to look for it in the "important documents" area two weeks ago.  I used to lose things all the time, and regularly go into a panic looking for them.  I feel like I've gotten much better: I use the same hook to hang up my keys when I come home; I leave my purse in the same location; incoming mail has an in-box; bills to be paid have their own spot. 

This time, I was determined not to panic.  I found a way around my immediate need-that-document dilemma, and set about to go through the possible bin of miscellaneous papers.  I have been setting a timer in 15-minute increments, and systematically dealing with all the papers in the bin.  Not just looking for a certain missing document--my goal is to rid myself of the entire bin.

More cute office supplies

So far, so good.  Other than the bag of shredded papers, I don't have much to show for my efforts.  But I feel lighter with each 15-minute declutter session.  And it is so much nicer to sort papers with no deadline, no timeline.  Especially none of the, "why did I lose that #%!&&^$ paper again!" angst that accompanies a frantic search.

I didn't create a giant bin of unsorted, junky papers in a day.  And I won't get rid of it in a day, either.  Baby steps!