Guest post from Lisa of Warrior Mama and Organize 365:
I have always been an organized person. In college I typed and color-coded my notes for school. My 20’s were very organized and went just according to plan…
1994 – I graduated and started teaching
1995 – I got married
1996 – We purchased our first home
1997 – I started a home-based business on top of my full-time teaching career
1999 – I quit teaching and worked full-time from home
2000 – We had our first baby
2001 – We had another baby!
But by 2002, I was overwhelmed with babies, their medical needs, my booming home business, and LIFE!
Fast forward a decade.
Just as I find in many of the homes I organize, my paper was out of control even though there were good organizational systems underneath.
I would have never believed that one day I too would need organizational help. However, a decade of “pile it and file it” led to mini paper mountains everywhere.
Something had to change…
I started with old tax files and slowly purged through each paper area of my life: taxes, manuals, important documents, etc.
I made quick and steady progress until I hit the daily paper clutter — the coupons, bills and school notes on the kitchen counter, directories that seem to multiply overnight, school calendars, items you are saving to scrapbook someday, etc.
That daily paper is NOT clutter, but if you file it, you’ll forget it.
So what can you do?
It took me 6 months of refining my systems to come up with a solution that has worked for me and my clients.
My active papers are now divided in 3 places: a weekly basket, a counter top filing system, and a drawer filing system.
My new e-book, 10 Steps to Organized Paper, walks you step-by-step through tackling your past piles of archived paper, and guides you through a tailored active-paper organization sequence that will have your daily papers organized and OFF your kitchen counters… for good!
If you struggle with paper clutter and are dreading the end of the school year when ALL that additional paper clutter enters your home, don’t wait…
…download your copy today for only $5!
Lisa is a Cincinnati mom who blogs at Warrior Mama “Helping busy moms…Manage All Mama’s Assets”. Lisa also shares her organizational tips on her blog Organize365: Helping Busy Mama’s organize their busy lives.
24-HOUR GIVEAWAY!
This giveaway is now closed… the 5 winners will receive an email from me.
Today, FIVE lucky Simple Organized Living readers will win a copy of 10 Steps to Organized Paper.
How to Enter:
1. Leave a comment on this post. Where is your biggest pile of paper clutter?
If you are reading this in your email or feed reader, please visit the actual blog post to enter. Email entries, Facebook comments, and Twitter messages will NOT be counted.
Prizes:
(5) 10 Steps to Organized Paper eBook as described above
This giveaway ends at 9:00 am on Wednesday, 5/23/2012 and is open to US residents, 18 years or older. I will use And the Winner Is to select the winning comments at random. Winners will be notified by email and noted at the top of this post. Winners must respond within 48 hours of notification to claim their prize or I will choose a new winner. Please see my full disclosure policy and contact me with any questions you have. Good luck!
Erica says
I cannot say that I have one big pile to tackle because I have many. I tend to take the pile from the kitchen counter, to the dining table, to the table in our office and ultimately they end up in my bedroom so that I can someday go through and organize them. I have never been a really organized person but lately these piles and piles of paper are really bugging me and have me feeling a little hopeless.
Julie H. says
My worst area is my bookshelf. Bills, coupons, and even our taxes from last year are all piled there right now. Thanks for the great giveaway!
Jamie C. says
My hotspot ends up being the kitchen table…especially during those busy weeks that we hardly even sit at the table!
Heather says
I HATE the pile of paper in my kitchen. Just when I seem to have gotten all of the paper under control, I look and the pile seems to have magically multiplied! I would love a great solution to this never ending problem!
Kathleen says
This is my NUMBER ONE problem with clutter–paper!! I never know where to put the stuff. I keep shuffling piles of paper clutter from one room to another–right now, I’ve got a big stack of it cluttering my tiny kitchen–and boxes of the stuff collecting dust in the basement. HELP!!
Theresa says
My desk is the hotspot.
Kimberly says
My most annoying pile is on my kitchen counter. However, even after cleaning it this weekend, I think my desk in the office still have the bigger pile. It doesn’t bother me as much – maybe because I accept it as part of the office. I don’t accept the kitchen pile. 😉
Stephanie says
My desk in our breezeway is where coupons, newspapers, misc paper that needs to be filled, bay cards, etc piles up until I can’t see the desk. Don’t forget the random stuff that my husband uses and doesn’t put away because her needs it the next day. The worst part, it us our entrance to or house too. Sure makes having people over stressful.
Patricia says
My kitchen table tends to be the paper magnet in my home.
April says
I bought it through PayPal. Now how do I read it? I don’t see it anywhere. Thanks.
Kristin Morgan says
My biggest pile of paper clutter has to be on my desk at work. I am a high school teacher, so I think my life revolves around paper. I am always trying to maintain it, separate it, and organize it to the best of my ability.
Robin says
My biggest pile is our mail which ends up on the kitchen table. Open it and decide to do something with it later and it just piles up more and more. Then spend one whole morning going through it.
Kim says
My biggest pile of paper clutter is on my home computer desk. It has been so bad in the past that I have missed paying bills on time (this no longer happens because I have a different system for paying bills now)!!! It is still pretty bad though because I will end up just putting the pile in a drawer and say that I will go through it at a later date (that date never comes)…
Mary says
My worst pile is on the dining room table. I teach music lessons 6 or 7 days a week, and the pile moves for meals, but generally always stays put until we have company. I need a better system for sure!
Candis says
My biggest pile of paper is on my desk. I actually use a small dinner room table as my desk – sigh – wish I could take a pic and show you. Words cannot truly describe the chaos that is housed by that desk.
Fibia says
The biggest pile is in the kitchen.
Caitlin says
Right now my deck is pilled with curriculum I have to go through for next year. So much paper! Sounds like a great book!
Dani L says
At the moment, on top of our printer. It’s all my husband’s military papers… which I contantly move to where I think he’ll most likely either trip over it or put them away 😉
Rose says
I have an ‘in-basket’ of stuff to go through at a latter date. This has evolved into two in-baskets.
Wyetta says
It’s in a living room chair next to my bookshelf.
Andrea Watts says
My printed coupons are out of control!
Cathy H says
My paper clutter starts on the kitchen table then when it piles up so big, it then gets put on the desk in the office and keeps piling up!! I definitely need a new system!!
Leigh says
I work really hard to not let papers pile up in our home; however, the longer we are married the more I can see how eventually I am going to need a different system. This book makes me curious though.
Jessica says
HA. My very first thought was, “Andrea has a cat?!” I didn’t remember you ever mentioning your cat before! And then I realized it was a guest post. Haha.
I’m in denial about my paper pile, but my husband isn’t. Mine tends to move to wherever I think I’m going to work on it. The desk… My bag that I take with me to work (in case I have free time!)… My nightstand (so that I can, obviously, go through things just before bed)… And so forth. And sometimes, when I’m actually sorting through things, my one paper pile turns into no less than eleven paper piles spread out all over the floor. {sigh} That doesn’t usually last long though.
Cassandra says
We recently moved and have 6 fairly large boxes of paper to go thru in our garage and a kitchen table I can’t see. Could really use this.
Melissa says
I don’t really have a pile that could be classified as my “biggest pile of paper clutter”, rather it lurks all over the house in small hidden amounts. Just this past Sunday I was clearing a shelf on my bedroom bookshelf and discovered a box that held 10 check books from 1999 for an account I no longer have and in my maiden name. I had no clue it was there, but I am proud to say that after 13 years of taking up hidden space I did tackle those check books and shredded them all, but I’m certain that I have other hidden clutter discoveries waiting for me in the least likely of places. Like the author, the past 10+ years of my life has had one major event happening after another and with that came a lot of undealt with paper piles. I do struggle with dealing with those past piles while at the same time combating the current papers that threaten to turn into aged clutter. Having some advice would be helpful!
Julie says
My desk area, which happens to be in the kitchen is the biggest paper problem area in our home. There is ALWAYS paper there!!
Rebecca says
My desk in my home office is our biggest problem. It’s the dumping ground for all paper that doesn’t have a home.
Carol says
My desk is just piled with papers of all sorts – recipies, receipts, mail, etc.
Dawn says
My kitchen counter/bar. Miscellaneous statements, coupons, paid bills, UGGH! It is my worst, most visible “hotspot”!
Sandee says
“Pile it and file it” and “mini mountains of paper” this is me. I so need this.
Pamela says
No doubt about it – my desk. Rarely clear. Piles are nice and neat, but still…..they’re piles. SIgh. I hope I win!
Melissa says
My problem is the kitchen counter – bills, coupons, kids’ school and acitvity reminders, receipts, etc… And yes, I have multiple piles from [failed] attempts at organizing. My desk at work could use some help, too. My hubby’s problem is his home office. I usually just shut the door and pretend it’s not there.
Melissa says
See, I’m so busy and scattered that I hit submit before I was finished!! With a full time job, 2 small kids, volunteering at their pre-school, a house to keep clean, and making concerted efforts to cook more healthy dinners, I need help! I don’t have lots of time to research and plan out a better organizing system.
Leslie @ lifeonmelodyhill.wordpress.com says
My office has multiple stacks of paper. Some I know what needs to be done with them. Others I’m clueless about where to keep them.
Karena says
The kitchen counter is my “problem” area. I try and try and try and just can’t get a good system for it. Hoping to get this area under control!
Catherine says
My biggest pile of papers are the paper bills (that I pay online, which remain unopened) and junk mail… Which I’ve been working on throwing out daily. I also still have all of my notes from
Nursing School, still trying to talk myself into getting rid of them.
Pam says
My worst paper clutter is a toss-up. I haven’t seen my desktop for months! I guess the pile that bothers me most is my dining table because the paper clutter on the table means that we can never have a relaxing dinner seated at the table. I would love this book.
Rachel Mitchell says
My husband’s night stand and then my desk.
Molly says
The kitchen counter! It’s where receipts, mail, various coupons get piled (in an “organizing” basket, of course!) but then get forgotten for about a month at a time! Eek!
Laurel says
Oh my gosh. This couldn’t have come at a better time. I am embarassed to say that I have numerous places that are homes to overgrown paper piles. However, I have been storing the biggest collection in our master bedroom. Isn’t that terrible?! I am furiously sorting through it this week and it is so difficult trying to decide how to handle each piece of paper. Like you said, it’s not clutter, it’s important stuff and I’m afraid if it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind. I would LOVE to win this book!