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| Decluttered Book |
Already one week into October! It was another hot day, today, with a very high pollen count and poor air quality which affected me. I had to close all the windows, take my asthma inhaler, and put on the air purifiers. I had two of them running in the family room where I was and that helped.
My new can opener arrived today, along with the two boxes of laundry detergent I ordered. I took a photo of the can opener, but, my phone is not letting me email the photo to myself to download (? upload?) to my computer. I have not used the can opener, yet, though, but, hopefully, it will work well.
I spent most of the day, today, trying to sort out the stuff I had on my desk. The desk drawers are quite well organized; it's the top that has items piled on it. I removed everything I had on my desk, dusted the desk again, moved a few things around to see if that made any difference, and then, sat down to sort through files!
Paperwork/file organizing takes me a long time as I tend to overthink and over complicate the process. I keep telling myself, "Progress, not perfection" as I sort through the papers, but, it is not enough for me to have a year's worth of statements in one file; they have to be in chronological order, as well. At least I no longer two hole punch the papers and attach to the file folder with one of those metal clasps! LOL.
As I finish with each file, I am moving it to the new file cabinet. I have two brown grocery sacks full of paper to be recycled and the shredder container is almost full, as well. I still have a few more file folders to sort through, but, that will be set aside for tomorrow, as I am tired of doing paperwork, today.
I took breaks from the file sorting when my aunt C called me in the afternoon and when my friend R called me in the evening.
Since I have a goal of decluttering 31 items in October and tend to do better when I am being accountable, here, I've decided I will list each week's decluttering at the end of the week.
October Decluttering, Week 1:
1 book (pictured above; to be donated)
1 unsolicited gift catalog
10 brochures/annual healthcare coverage handbooks for previous years
- old greeting cards and letters (this was hard; some of the letters were from family and friends who are no longer alive)
- old photographs
5 containers of expired medications that I stopped taking due to changes in prescriptions
Today, I am grateful for:
- Another warm, sunny day
- Air purifiers and the paper shredder
- Electricity to run them
- Phone chats with family and friends
- What I was able to accomplish today
Today's joyful activity was tending to a job I had been putting off for too long!
Plans for tomorrow include continuing with the paperwork/file organizing. The end is near!
How was your Saturday? What are your plans for Sunday?
That does sound like a lot of paperwork to sort through. I had a massive clear out a couple of years ago and I don't let things pile up anymore, my electric shredder sits on my desk. I know you enjoy the warmth of the sun but not good when it affects your health, I hope things settle down for you soon.
ReplyDeleteI have hopefully sorted out my blog this morning and re-invited readers, I hope you will accept the invite
I think I am making the file sorting more complicated than it has to be, Eileen; but, I am going through old files to toss out things I filed that I don't need to keep now. Old medical insurance information, etc., which no longer apply, as coverage stays in place only for that one year. I'm issued a new brochure/handbook as they call them, outlining that year's available services, the prescriptions covered, etc., so I'm cleaning out the old info. as I sort through the files. I used to store all these files on my desk because I didn't have enough room in the old file cabinet. But, now that I have my new file cabinet, there's room in it for the files. I just want to make sure that I don't keep old, unnecessary information in the files.
DeleteYes, the air quality was not at all good, today. I was very thankful for the air purifiers.
I did receive the invitation, Eileen, and I accepted it. Thank you. :)
Oh it's the greeting cards that get me too! I have to admit to two large boxes that I cannot bear to recycle yet, from mum, dad, friends and relations who are no longer with us, and from my children when they'd just left home. But I KNOW I have all the good memories, so I don't really need to keep the cards. But I'm not ready yet...my haberdashery declutter is going well, especially now I've found a well organised outlet that will happily sell them on and raise money for cancer research. You are doing very well with your declutter!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Angela. Yes, greeting cards and letters are hard to declutter, but, I was able to let go of this lot. I kept a select few for now. You are doing really well with your decluttering, too!
DeleteSigh- Lost my comment! Grrrrr...Anyway, I have been decluttering, too, and it sure feels good. I also have a bunch of office filing to take care of this week. Have a blessed Sunday- xo Diana
ReplyDeleteI still received the lost comment in duplicate, Diana, along with a duplicate of this comment! LOL! I deleted the others! Well done with your decluttering! It does feel good when it is done, doesn't it? Hope you have a blessed Sunday, too. :)
DeleteThat looks like an interesting book! You are making great progress on the paperwork. I'm taking a break while the family are out in the yard.
ReplyDeleteIt was an interesting book, Bushlady, with stories about various cats, both real and legendary. Someone gave it to daughter, she gave it to me, and now, it's time to pass it on.
DeleteThank you; I am going try and finish the paperwork, today. I'm ready to move on to something else!
Enjoy your break! :)
Getting rid of the cards and letters is one of the hardest tasks I have. Most other things I can easily let go of.
ReplyDeleteYes, cards and letters are hard to let go of, aren't they? I kept a few cards that people sent me when I was going through chemo, but, got rid of a lot of others.
DeleteIt sounds like you are doing some good paperwork orgnization/decluttering.
ReplyDeleteI hope your hands didn't cramp as I know sometimes they do.
Paperwork is so hard to tame isn't it. A few years back I developed a system that works for me and it no longer is a problem. Basically I handle the mail daily -usually right away when it comes in.
I do my paperwork at the kitchen table. It's where my laptop sits most of the time. I do try and keep things orderly since it's out in the open.
But still, if you catch me at the right moment, my paperwork is strewn all over the place. haha But I do put things back in order every day.
Thank you, Debra. I got most of the paperwork sorted out and fortunately, my hands didn't cramp! I think that was because I worked on it in small sections. I am going to try to tend to it on a daily basis and keep at it. At the very least, I need to establish a weekly "desk desk". Having the files set up is the biggest first step.
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