Paper, more paper and even more paper

It happens too often that I bring in the mail and don't have time (or don't think I have the time) to go through everything right then and there.  I try to bring it in once or twice a week, but let's be realistic, it's sometimes every 10 days or so.  My mailbox isn't attached to my house, but it's not like it's blocks away.  It's maybe 6-7 houses down the street.  A nice little walk you might say.

It's not the first thing that crosses my mind every day... unless I'm expecting an Amazon package.. because right?? :)

I'll usually make a conscious effort to go get the mail when I know we have bills that should have arrived or when I realize...wait when's the last time I got the mail?

More often than not, I stop on my way home from picking up Samantha so that I can pack all the letters, papers, advertisements and junk-mail onto my passenger seat since there's usually a truckload by the time I think to go.

And then what happens? It gets placed on the kitchen table or on the couch or somewhere it shouldn't be and I eventually go through it making a "keep/look through" pile and a "toss" pile.  And instead of taking 10 to 20 steps to go throw out the "toss" pile, it stays on the kitchen table/couch/other random table... in case I can add to it once I go through the "keep/look through" pile.  And then it grows and grows as does the "keep/look through" pile because I just don't get to them, or ignore them.


As I'm trying to make improvements in my life, I have been trying to take 2 minutes to make a "toss" pile as soon as I bring in the mail, and then I actually toss it.  The "keep/look through" pile is still a work in progress.

My most recent "keep/look through" pile grew legs and I didn't realize it until I was shopping this weekend and thought "shoot, I bet you I had a coupon".... Out of site, out of mind.

The pile had grown legs - I found it this morning.  Where did I find it?  On our oak desk which over the years has become a place we throw that type of paperwork when we need it off the kitchen table/couch.  Or if we are in a rush because people are coming over.  It has a convenient roll down cover you see...

Sigh...

I organized that desk a couple weeks ago and it was finally looking great.  I know what I'm doing tonight...  Luckily, it's not a monster pile.  It's probably a couple catalogs, a few store advertisements with coupons and maybe another couple things.  This is improvement.

Two weeks ago, during one of Sami's weekend naps, I went through a pile that was probably... I'm really embarrassed to admit... about 5-6 inches thick.  This had stuff from months and months ago, if not over a year ago.  At least 80% of it was junk.  For too long this has been cluttering my desk (and floor...).

Even more embarrassing, a few years back we cleaned the office because it was messy and getting overrun with paperwork... well I placed all of it in a plastic tub (18 gallons I think).  I was going to go through it in the next couple weeks.  I'm sure it's still in the basement waiting for me to go through it.  More sighs... Worst thing is, it's probably 80-90% junk mail.

I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my bills...  I used to be so organized.  I would file my bills every month after paying them and keep them in a file cabinet.  In the past years, I've tried to catch up with that filing once or twice a year.  But do I really need to keep them?

What do you do with that type of paperwork?  And medical bills, and all that?  I'm starting to wonder if I need to keep them... I don't get a paper invoice for Comcast (TV/internet services) anymore and I pay through my bank's bill pay module.  I haven't missed not having the paper bill in my file (or "keep" pile).  That makes me think that I could just toss my bills once they are paid, but I'm leery.  What do you do?