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journalism → sign → inbox
It's probably time to organize your paperwork and documents.
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It → organize → paperwork
If that fills you with dread, don't worry — Kacy Paide has advice.
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Paide → fill → advice
She's been working as a professional organizer for over two decades, and specializes in helping clients deal with paper clutter.
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clients → work → clutter
The key to making the process less overwhelming?
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process → make → ?
Don't feel like you have to rush or organize in a certain way.
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you → feel → way
"You're in control of your paper, and it's up to you how fast you want to get through it," she says.
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she → want → it
Start with the nearest pile of paperwork
When getting started on paper clutter, don't worry just yet about what's stashed away in the garage or your office closet.
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what → start → garage
Focus on sorting what's piled up around your desk or dining table.
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what → focus → desk
"The documents and action items that are on fire tend to be closest to us," Paide says.
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Paide → tend → us
Active requires follow up, like making a call or paying a bill.
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Active → require → bill
Inactive does not.
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Inactive → do → ?
That includes receipts, birth certificates and sentimental stuff, like a Valentine's Day card from your mom.
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That → include → mom
Go ahead and file your inactive documents away or put them to the side for when you have a little more time to give them a deeper look.
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you → go → look
Make the due date clear on your active paperwork.
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date → make → paperwork
Paide likes to write it boldly with a permanent marker on a sticky note, then attach it to the document.
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Paide → like → document
This tactic can quickly help you identify what needs to be done and when.
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what → help → ?
Be as specific with the deadline as possible — as in, "due by Nov. 15" or "start no later than 12/1" — otherwise "urgent" or "due now" will start to lose its meaning, Paide suggests.
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Paide → start → meaning
Create a filing system that makes sense for you
There are many kinds of documents that require saving.
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that → create → documents
Storing these items away can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be.
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it → store → items
The best filing system is the one you'll actually use.
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you → use → ?
That said, Paide has some preferences.
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Paide → say → preferences
That way they're easy to spot.
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they → spot → ?
As for where to put it, Paide prefers them to be a "bookend to your filing system."
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them → put → system
Put the folder at the front or the back of a file box, for instance, so you don't have to rifle through piles of paper to get to it.
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you → put → it
You don't need fancy materials to get organized.
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materials → need → ?
Paide prefers to use simple file folders to organize her papers, and likes labeling those folders with sticky notes written with permanent markers.
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Paide → prefer → markers
That way, she can reuse the file folders again in case she changes her mind about how she wants to sort things.
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she → reuse → things
She also likes buying cool file boxes for her paperwork and storing them in bookshelves.
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She → like → bookshelves
"Then you have this visual filing system that's also beautiful and approachable," Paide says.
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Paide → have → system
Destroy or let go of what you don't need
Not all paperwork needs space in your desk drawers.
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paperwork → destroy → drawers
If you're not sure whether or not to hold onto something, ask yourself: Under what circumstances would I need to produce this document?
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I → hold → document
Paide shares more advice on how to let go.
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Paide → share → advice
You don't need to shred everything.
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You → need → everything
Some people feel "like they have to shred everything with their name and address on it in order to sleep well at night," Paide says.
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Paide → feel → night
But you really don't have to.
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you → have → ?
That includes account numbers, birth dates, passwords and pins, signatures or Social Security numbers.
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That → include → numbers
Have a family member or friend help you sort sentimental or tough paperwork.
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you → have → paperwork
That includes old letters, divorce papers or greeting cards.
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That → include → letters
As you go through those documents, "voice those thoughts" about them, Paide says.
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Paide → go → them
…and 13 more, not listed.
The Aporia
