I try and purge my files every year, usually right around tax time. I don’t like having to think too long about whether or not I can toss a piece of paper or a file, so I started jotting little future notes to myself to make the process easier.
Notes like:
Toss it when…
Toss Jan. 2015
Don’t you dare toss! Pg. 3, bottom
Keep until…
Paid $234, chk #2267, 2/14/05
Etc
Anything that will give me quick clues later and doesn’t take but a second to write, really does help later.
Today’s Challenge:
While you’re looking through papers today, when you come to things you’ll keep, jot yourself a quick note. Think about what you were asking yourself when deciding whether or not to keep something, and when you get the answer, make sure you have the answer without looking for it next year. Even if you do this only a few at a time, it starts adding up and making a real difference later.
What kind of notes do you jot to yourself?
-Tabitha
Chaos2Calm 