Spring cleaning for the brave

Okay so if you looked around my house (the most used areas) you'd see that we're pretty minimal. We like it that way..less to clutter the mind,stress you out and to clean. Let's face it..less to clean is fantastic! Anyways we decided that this week we'd go through the worst parts of our house..oh man! I'm so ashamed! We used the simple "one year rule".. if we're not going to use it in the next year or won't miss it if we don't see it in a year..it goes. :)

As I said before, we like minimal, clean.. the living room is great example..

However..every house has its dirty little secret and ours was the so-called office..basically the room where things went to die.. after awhile we just gave up on that room, although I can't remember why and it turned into this..

yes, that's as far as I could open the door

It took awhile but we managed to find the floor and recreate a vital part of our life..Behold! The office!

This is the exact same space!

There are bits and pieces that still need work but it's fully functioning and has been dearly missed. Oh and the pile from above..what wasn't recycled become donated and very few things went to the landfill. I realize everyone has there own method of decluttering but this was simple and worked best for us. One day of hard work is now going to make a difference in our lives for years to come. Here's where we work, study and manage the house..in peace and with organization.

If like most of us you're having trouble getting started and just don't know what you should keep..try this. I found it on Pinterest and thought it was fitting. You'll be amazed and what you really treasure, really need.

The 911 Binder *Do this Today!*

If you can't tell I love binders. Honestly though I truly believe that every household needs this binder now. Why? Because it could save you heartaches, headaches and stress. I'm not the inventor of this idea (I couldn't tell you who is) but as usual I tweaked it. Please note, my camera hates me today so the pics are blurry but I promise, you'll get the idea.

So what's in this binder..everything vital!

The first part of this binder uses old baseball car holders (office store) and it holds credit cards, store cards and Social Security cards. This way those cards aren't in your wallet so you aren't racking them up,they aren't taking up space but most importantly they're all safely tucked away and accounted for.

Behind those pages I used cheap page protectors to hold vital records for the members of the house. This includes birth certificates and message licenses. Now within the first few pages you have all the info to prove your identity if needed.

Next I used old divider folders. The next category is "Legal". Yep, this is where you put your will, power of attorney, divorce papers..things of that nature. Again each thing is placed in a sheet protector.

Next comes "House". This is where deeds and anything house related goes..like copies of your insurance policy or any warranty info. Again each thing is placed in a sheet protector.

Lastly is the "Personal" section. There's the part where you keep a list of any former addresses, a list of important phone numbers/addresses and a copy of your resume. This section sounds silly until you have to fill out a resume or anything that asks for years of info that you struggle to remember.

So why do you do this? Well for me it made perfect sense. Not only can I find all my most important pieces of info in seconds BUT in case of an emergency the person who needs it most can find it too. This is certainly something you would keep in a safe or in hiding.  Now, if an emergency struck you can find all emergency paperwork you would ever need in case of identity theft, fire or when you or your loved one passes. If something happened to you and you needed to tell the guardian of your kids where to find the legal documents that cover them, ID for the kids and info for their doctors, school..you get the idea...you would only have to give them one location. What a relief it would be for all involved to go, get the binder and be able to breathe easier and take care of the problem at hand. Even something as simple as filling out paperwork becomes a breeze when everything you need is all in one place. This is honestly the best thing I've ever put together.

When I put mine together I didn't have a real binder..so two key rings took its place :)

No more pink socks and shrunken sweaters..

Let's face it, unless your socks are supposed to be pink no one likes washer drama. To say my old washer was horrid is an understatement. It tore my brand new master comforter in pieces and then flooded the floor..killing the dryer too! So this past spring we invested in a new set. I'm in love with them! Okay, I'm actually in love with all the features and hassle-free use but it's still love.

Anyways, I wanted to make sure I took proper care of them. Our old set cost us $500 and lasted us twelve years so I'd like to get at least that long from this costly set. Seemed to me that the best way to do that was to make sure I used it properly and kept up the maintenance. Yes I realize that's common sense but life gets busy. So I put together this little packet that includes.

• The laminated user sheets from the manufacturer
• A washing symbol guide (because they're pretty much hieroglyphics)
• A copy of the setting guide and troubleshooting guide from the manual-one page each
• A cheat sheet of special washing instructions for those odd items (in case my sweetie does laundry or I'm just forgetful)
• A reminder to clean the washer with tablets monthly for maintenance

It sounds like a lot but it's really just a few pages in cheap page protectors hung with a leftover key ring. No more trying to remember the little symbols or making tiny clothes on accident. :) Now all these nifty bits of info are tacked neatly by the washer for avoiding trouble and making the most of my lovely machines.

Everyone gets one..

For years I was like most other households when it came to my files..they all went in a filing cabinet and papers were put in folders. I tried to make it organized, tried not to lose papers or crumple them to death but it was pointless. It still took me way longer than I had time for to find what I needed. It was clear I needed a new system. I thought I'd try something a little unconventional..a binder for each person, one for the house, one for manuals and one for debts that were paid off. Yes I know that last one sounds silly but it comes in handy if you ever need to get something off your credit report.

It's a very easy system. Each person in the house gets a binder. In it is a section for basics,medical/dental/school/awards

Basics: This is for things like your resume, copy of your marriage/birth certificate/list of your addresses and references for the last few years.

Medical/dental: In here goes all your medical and dental papers from appointments. Also any print outs of x-rays or anything else related you might have. If you have kids this is also where all the papers you used to get them into school (the dr. appointments and such go)

School: In here is all your high school/ college transcripts or important papers from your kids school like grade completion paper.

Awards: You guessed it! Here's where you put all the awards and certifications your receive.

Now whenever you're looking for a file that has to do with your husband or just one of the four kids, you know right where to find it and you aren't sorting through everyone else's papers.

House binder: This one is full of all those manuals your get with just about everything. I have a divider in there for electronics and the rest is just household stuff but you can be more detailed if you want.

Paid off binder:  All this holds is all the paperwork and paid off notices for all the things you've paid off. In case you ever find something on your credit report that you know is paid off, you now have proof!

*Again I use the cheap dollar version of page protectors for all the binders, Avery pocket dividers as needed and binders on sale or on hand.*

Now I don't have a big cabinet full of folders stuffed with papers that rub together and fade or get destroyed. I have 5 binders (6 if you count my red one) that sit neatly labeled on a shelf. Any member of my household can did anything they need in mere minutes and often read it without taking it from the protective sleeve and then it goes back on the shelf.

Seeing red with money and mail management

A few months ago I went hunting for a bill I knew I needed to pay and soon realized it was lost in what I thought was an organized pile of papers to be filed. Let's face it, there's nothing organized about a pile of papers..we're just trying to fool ourselves. I needed an answer that was easy, simple and actually doable. First I needed to figure out what I needed out of the new system. I needed it to sort my mail, help make bill paying easier and deal with stuff I'll need for taxes…oh and it needed to be free or close to.  :)

What I came up with was a big red binder I had on hand. Red seemed like a color that screamed "Don't Lose Me!" so I went with it. I had some leftover dividers with pockets from another project so I labeled each for my needs. I also used some Dollar General page protections for all the papers (I'm kind of addicted to them. I think hold need they keep the papers and make them easy to flip though), some left over three level binders and a pencil holder pocket from Dollar General too and my trusty label maker. You can just use tape and a marker if that's what you have on hand. After all, it's all about being thrifty! :)

Appropriately titled "Money Management, Mail Management"

(the tabs don't really stick out this far, it's the camera angle)

Filing: This isn't a true section so much as a three level folder I put in the inside pocket. In this space I can put papers that I need to keep close and aren't ready to be filed yet. Also there's a place for things that need filing and for the new mail. When the map comes in I put the majority of it here, unless it needs urgent help..then it goes in it's proper place elsewhere.

Pencil holder: Remember these from your school days? These are great for holding the checkbook, payment booklets..anything you need for bills you might otherwise misplace.

Bills: this section holds all my current bills and one statement for every bill I pay. I just needed one as a reference for account info and contact numbers. This is very helpful when you have to call to make changes or have questions. On one pocket I labeled it urgent for the things that need serious attention, this way it doesn't get lost in the other bills..those get placed in the pocket on the other side.

Log in: I printed out some pages I found online and used this section to keep track of all my passwords and log in info. Now my husband knows where to find the info and I don't have to rely on myself or my computer to remember it. I'm covered if my computer crashes too. :)

Taxes: This section actually makes me money in the long run! I printed out a list of tax deductions for reference on things to keep I might not otherwise. I used another three level folder to label all the major tax deduction categories I use. As I collect papers and receipts I put them in each pocket. When tax times comes I just take the folder to the tax prep service..easy as that!

Debts: In this section I put all the debts I'm currently paying on. If I every have a question about the terms or conditions I know right where to look.

Total cost of this time, money and frustration saving binder.. $3!

My system is simple. When I get the mail I sort it in my binder and shred the trash or sensitive stuff. When I pay bills, I sit down with the binder and get the job done fast and efficiently. When the "Need to file" section gets full I take the stuff out and take care of it. It's as easy as that!! No more lost papers, no more paying fines for lost bills..I'm thrilled :)