I recently received this question via email.
“I have a problem, with clutter being its ugly name!! I am doing much better, however, I recognize one HUGE issue in that my kitchen is VERY small, yet central to our home and activities. Hopefully in about a year we will have a new, bigger, remodeled kitchen that has places to put things. Until then, the areas that I am fighting with include the mail, papers from school, and the tiny desk. Do you have any suggestions?”
The kitchen is the hub of so many homes — so having it free from clutter and well organized is a major boost to your sense of well being and the productivity in your home.
Carve out a small corner in your kitchen for office essentials such as pens, stamps, envelopes, note paper and other items you need to handle the mail and paperwork. I like to corral my items in a basket and use a small glass votive to keep pens and pencils standing upright and easy to access. Add folders for school papers (one for each child or labeled with the days of the week) and another for “bills to pay” … and you’re good to go.
Customize your folders … to add an extra dose of inspiration in your kitchen.
Create daily routines for handling the mail — shredding or recycling papers you don’t need, filing away bills to be paid, and filling out and returning paperwork for school. The less space you have, the more often you’ll need to go through your paperwork, handle it, and discard what you don’t need to keep.
For paperwork you do need to keep on hand and refer to from time to time, my favorite solution is the home management binder. It allows you to easily corral paperwork like phone directories, business cards, sports schedules and carryout menus in one handy, tidy spot.
With your file basket and the home management binder, you’re paperwork can be handled and stored in even the tiniest of work quarters.
Good luck! And let me know if you have any other questions!
You’re keeping me checking your blog everyday because you’ve been posting so much lately, and somehow I still missed one. Anyway, I hope you scrapbook everything you wrote in your blog about the holy jeans. That was beautiful.
And I love these folders. I know you’ve shown me something similar to this before, and quite honestly, I still struggle with the mail, so I’m hoping if I make it pretty enough like yours, I’ll create a new HABIT for getting all that paper organized. Your basket is way too cute, so I’m motivated to get one, but I’m snowed in…yes, I said it, it’s April 24th, but I’m snowed in! Looks like Christmas all over again. But the beauty of it is that it will be 75 on Saturday! That’s CO for you!
Thanks for sharing the great idea!
Lisa
I like youd ideas! I met you in Saint Louis. I am the one that is from Utah. My hubby knows Lisa Bearnson. Do you remember? It is really o.k. if you don’t remember. I know you probably meet a lot of people. I just have a super quick idea that I do, that works for me. I have a small file box that I use for all of my paper work. I think if you can get your paper work organized, you have won 1/2 the battle. Anyway, I have a red folder that I keep in the very front of my file box. That folder is called the 24 hour folder. I put everything in that folder that has to be delt with in 24 hours. Notes from teachers, things I have to sign, things I have to mail etc… This 24 hour folder is used the most, it is constantly being delt with. I also have a folder for all of my kids that I keep report cards, notes from teachers etc… I have a warranty folder,receits folder etc… I keep my bills completely seperate in a small expandable filing systym. I keep my check book and a pen in this folder. The last thing that I do that has totally saved me more than once is a folder that I have copied all of my credit cards, front and back side, under each credit card I have the card’s 1-800 #’s, address etc.. in case I loose that credit card or in case my info gets stolen. This way If anything happens to my purse, I can go right to that folder and call all of the credit card companies very easily. I have all of my info on the paper. I have had my purse stolen and that folder totally saved me so much stress and so much time! I hope I did not blab too much. If you have any questions, let me know.
C-ya, Jenni
Aby, I’m taking Goals 101 and saw this post on your blog (I think you referred to it in chat the other night). Anyhow, how did you make those adorable folders in the basket (or are they just dividers???). I’m guessing they’re just altered, but didn’t know if you had any words of wisdom before I went and did my own! Thanks ~April
I happened upon a secret hiding place in my kitchen. I have a few favorite pens. Some are happy colors I love, some just write well. They were always disappearing from the kitchen drawer. I tried hiding them, but kept forgetting where I hid them myself! I put up a magnetic dry erase board at my eye level for recording babysitter info, quick notes, etc. I got one of those magnetic baskets to hold my pens. No one but me seems to look in there! My pens have been all mine for nearly a year now!