I heard a cute tip once: if you have kid's drawings or paintings that you or they want to save, cover them with clear contact paper, and use as drawer liners in dresser drawers. They can still see them, and they're out of the way, but also useful.
As a retired military wife, I was told along time ago to keep the final bills for every utility that we turned off after moving. 3 years after turning off our gas, we got a collections bill. Thankfully I had the final 0 balance bill. The gas company ended up keeping our account open for the new home owners and THEY didn’t pay their bill. That final bill saved $400. And I also recommend doing an emergency binder. Living in Japan after the tsunami, we had to have our paperwork ready. So all long term docs like, social security cards, passports , birth certificate, etc all lives in a 3 ring binder with clear sleeves in a fire proof safe. Last year we had to grab and go with the binder 3x for tornado warnings. And was indispensable during moving to register cars and school and drivers licenses, etc.
@@annw1395 because the new tenants/owners didn’t move out til later and didn’t pay the gas. So it took that long to go delinquent and get to collections. I still have kept them. It’s probably time to shred them since it’s been 10 years.
When I get a receipt for a large purchase at a retail store like, say, Home Depot or Lowe's, or for a big-ticket item I bought as a gift, I always make a photocopy of it. The ink on receipts these days will fade over a short period of time and sometimes you have to refer to the purchase date for warranties. I put the photocopied receipts inside the manuals, which are still nice to have on hand despite most manuals being online. Good advice.
I'm currently working on a dearly beloved deceased estate and what a great motivator it is to tidy up and significantly reduce my own paperwork. I've taken to writing what I hope will be helpful notes for those who will need to sort out my own estate. For example writing on the annual paper statement from my ISA saving account 'This is currently the only ISA account that I have - January 2021'. Everything is in one ring binder and I've given away my shredder and filing cabinet and I'm ordering a fire proof document holder today.
With any paper documentation I have a shredder at home. I paid $20 for it and I put the shredded paper either into my garden beds or you can take it out into the forest and bury it. It's great for the soil. Some pet stores use it for their puppy and kitten enclosures to.
Technically not everything is available online. Or for free. I spent 3 hours trying to find a free version of my sewing machine manual. My neighbor was paying for sewer for 15 years when she found out she had septic. The city only keeps records for 3 years. She dug through her piles of "to shred", and found a bill from 13 years ago (to get a refund). The IRS will occasionally misplace things. I heard of a guy who lost 4 years of SS income because the IRS didn't have the information and he didn't have the proof.
@@phyllisanngodfrey6137 lol that's frustrating. Pretty sure you don't need paperwork for dead people, except a death certificate, after the trust is closed. Maybe keep stuff that a genealogist would put on file.
I download all of my utility and bank statements so I have a digital copy should I ever need them. Some companies only keep a couple years worth of statements online for you to access for free. Hopefully I never need them but it makes me feel better having them and I don’t have to keep the paper copies.
@@keyisme1356 Maybe check for manuals online before trashing paper versions, etc. But I hear you....I often worry about having to prove something to somebody somewhere, and not having the documentation available. So I probably keep too much. I'm working on it....
8:25 is my mantra for everything in my house! Many wise thoughts in this video. And you’re right: most children will not want all those “artifacts” when they’re adults. They’ll have their own stuff they’ll have to manage.
Our credit union offered shredding 2 times this year, I keep a box of 'to be shredded' under my desk and it got emptied twice! This way I didn't need to deal with it myself and it was easy to load the box and empty it during routine errands. So look for opportunities like this where you live, or propose it to your community connections.
I use the same system however I would recommend in England hanging on to four utility bills. Having had trouble with the electrical supplies a record of your bills and payments proves payment when they changed systems and lost our account detail. Something I have always done when I get a bill I then remove the oldest bill so as not to save too many.
Be sure and shred statements to help avoid identity theft! I have my shredder right next to the waste basket in my study, and can shred statements on the spot.
I saved alot of my children's special stuff and now that they are adults with children of their own they said mom throw that stuff away 😄. They only kept a few things. 😊Blessings ❣
Yes, I just went through this with my mom. We went through and took photos of everything and made a digital photo album. It made her feel better knowing I could reference it and also that should could see it whenever she wanted to reminisce.
I've heard a few friends say the same thing. Its amazing to me that kids wouldn't want that stuff. I'm 54, and I still have my baby blanket and favorite doll, etc. My husband has nothing from his childhood except a few photos and he wishes he had more memorabilia.
Mine don't even want stuff they saved for themselves as teenagers. It's part of growing up. The time to go through that stuff is with grandchildren. They are more interested in what their parents were like as children, than any of us are about ourselves.
I do the exact same thing with my boys. They are super creative and have drawings, craft etc and they have the freedom to display it on the fridge or their bedroom. Then after a month or so we pile everything up and give them the choice to keep or get rid of it. I find it really important for them to make that choice and it gives them the skills as they grow.😃👍
The military moved us a lot. We got to move a limited number of pounds based on destinations and my husbands rank at the time. My children had very few attachments to things so getting rid of their things themselves was easy for them.
Good Morning Hilary 🌿 Still.working on the closet 😂 I had a whole file cabinet in our garage filled with memorabilia from my children's school and pictures they drew stored all these years, when we moved they went through and pretty much decided not to keep most of it 😁 , hmmm oh well !Thank you for sharimg 🌻
I've done that with stuff my mom saved for me, but even so, it was fun to see it one last time before letting it go. Took pictures of some things, and just enjoyed the reminiscing. That was worth it.
I kept all my artist daughter's crafting and then found a frame that hold 50 sheets of paper. New goal: get through 2 large bins and whittle "to keep" to max 50 items. Then at some point it will go to DD who I hope will enjoy perusing it. At the time it was easier to just bin the items for someday. Lo and behold, 2021 has become someday!
Paper clutter used to be my nemesis but it’s almost defeated now since I’ve been working on it for about 10 months. So much has been tossed, recycled, shredded. The more I deal with the old stuff the easier the new stuff is to handle. What a freeing feeling! I love reading the newspaper but they used to pile up when life happened. Now my rule is any old paper is recycled when a newer one appears, read or not. I like your 4 binder system and am wondering if I could implement it then let our file go.
Watching this as I'm making your vanilla syrup recipe for coffee. 😊 You have been so incredibly helpful in my life! Now to tackle the paper clutter and make some decisions!
Its been fun and refreshing following along during clutter free January. I got my closet back last week. It took some work, but I feel better.🙂 Thanks for sharing.
I love your method with the notebooks ! Yes, you are so right if you kept every piece of artwork or school work from the children, nothing would be special. And , I always say I would need an addition on my house just to store it all! 😂...Love your tips, Hilary ! Thank you for sharing !
You have a great system. I love how you separate the paper memory box items from all other memory box items. My poor kids. They each have one very large tote memory box. It's a big jumbled mess of church papers with their christening announcements, doctor notes, report cards, letters and cards they've written or made for us over the years , pictures from their special events, christening outfits, signed baseballs, baby blanket, "woobie," :) etc. I used to think I'd organize it, but now that they're both grown ... they'll just have to deal with it at some point. :)
Some companies only keep a year or two online of statements. Many of my product manuals are not available online especially for some of my older stuff.
It's always surprised me the custom in USA of receiving bills and having to go to pay them by check and so on. As having all the bills, bank statements etc in actual mail. Here in Spain it's a custom that everything is auto-pay from the bank account . Water, gas, etc goes straight to the bank the companies send you the bill but you can get them online too. Things as rent you normally transfer the money from your bank to the owners bank. Also the amount of flyers, cupons, magazines you receive also amaze me. Take care XXXX
Go through that 3-ring binder a few days before the end of the school year and return it to the teacher so he/she doesn’t have to buy a new one for the next year. 😃💝
@@amybee40 It's not hard to wipe down a binder, obviously, but since some stores aren't allowing returns at the moment, a teacher may not want to handle used binders either.
Good suggestion in this video. Why not keep the cute papers in your bedside drawer in a binder for each kid? You could add it in their school bins as a separate item. And it frees up your bedside table.
Yes if it/when grows then I will relocate them, this is just a spot I know I can put them right away. Systems with kids are always changing that’s for sure 😊
We have a firebox type safe for things like birth certificates, passports, our religious paperwork : marriage and baptism, First Communion certificate. A lot of temporary but don't need anymore stuff gets shredded. Bills paid recently go in our file cabinet.
Remember floppy disks? They were supposed to be great to store info for long term...yeah, no! Saving on digital format is great...until technology changes 3 seconds later. Stored tax returns on 3" floppy disks...less than 5 yrs later needed something and the computers didnt even have this drive anymore, the Windows had upgraded and didnt support the old digital, etc.
It’s really a personal choice, if they’re available online to print out if you need a physical copy I’d say don’t keep any, but if you feel more comfortable keeping them I believe you only need a years worth
Question: How do you temporarily store receipts for purchases until you know they go through the bank for debit/credit receipts and cash receipts. My pocketbook becomes a mess with holding onto receipts until I k now they have gone through the bank, or in a gift situation if a return might be necessary?
I keep them in my wallet or planner and toss as soon as possible. I also like to give gift receipts with the gift so I don’t have to hold onto the physical paperwork any longer than necessary. A lot of stores can also look up your purchase with your debit/credit card and give you the full return, my sister just did that when she misplaced a Christmas receipt and had no issue.
You can use an expandable file (even dollar tree carries them). Separate by months or by type of bills. As you clean out your purse daily, or weekly you can put them in. Or do it on the same days you pay your bills.
@MomDroogs An accordian file or a shoebox or a pretty cardboard box that they sell like at Michaels, dollar stores, Joanns, etc. with the designs on them.
You're not alone. It's a struggle for me too. I dont know what system I like or works best for me. Still trying to figure it out. These videos give me inspiration
Concerning keeping kids crafts: When my third child was 3, the Sunday school teacher wanted him to color a coloring page with a Bible verse on it. He looked at it, told her what the verse said (the verse of the day), and told her "I will pass on coloring it because it will just go on our fridge for a few days and then go in recycling. Too much paper at our house. Maybe someone else can color it." The Sunday School teacher and I had a good laugh... and he was absolutely correct. Four kids have taught me that you can't keep everything, especially when the kids haven't really done a whole lot in creating it (as a former preschool teacher, most art projects are 75% the teacher/assistant and only 25% kid work.)
I'm so torn on this. With 4 kids, I have had to throw out a lot of coloring pages and spelling tests and "good job being you" certificates, believe me. But, I was an art teacher for a decade. (Jr. High and High School) I got tired of seeing some of the kids throw away their projects without even taking them home to show their parents. I mean, some of these kids had real talent. The response I got was "my parents don't like clutter." Ouch! It was hard not to take that as a devaluing of both their creativity and my actual work to teach them something. I implemented a policy that if I found a kid's work in the classroom trash, I changed the grade to an F. Art is what separates us from the animals! If you have older kids in school, maybe ask them what they learned about art when they bring home a project, rather than just recycle it because it's not a Van Gogh.
@@amybee40 as my son noted to his teacher, all of the artwork goes on the fridge for a few days before it is recycled. I have a handful of art pieces for all 4 and my daughter keeps her sketchbooks (she is an artist), but in the end, you can’t keep everything. I sure am glad that they have art teachers who help them find joy in the process of creating it though.
@@denselypackedfancy Yes, I have no problem with that approach! You'd be surprised how some parents are though. It's often the ones who are big into sports, and don't even have a box of crayons in the house...
I heard a cute tip once: if you have kid's drawings or paintings that you or they want to save, cover them with clear contact paper, and use as drawer liners in dresser drawers. They can still see them, and they're out of the way, but also useful.
As a retired military wife, I was told along time ago to keep the final bills for every utility that we turned off after moving. 3 years after turning off our gas, we got a collections bill. Thankfully I had the final 0 balance bill. The gas company ended up keeping our account open for the new home owners and THEY didn’t pay their bill. That final bill saved $400. And I also recommend doing an emergency binder. Living in Japan after the tsunami, we had to have our paperwork ready. So all long term docs like, social security cards, passports , birth certificate, etc all lives in a 3 ring binder with clear sleeves in a fire proof safe. Last year we had to grab and go with the binder 3x for tornado warnings. And was indispensable during moving to register cars and school and drivers licenses, etc.
Great ideas, thank you.
3 years later?? Wow, what took them so long? Good thing you had that statement!
@@annw1395 because the new tenants/owners didn’t move out til later and didn’t pay the gas. So it took that long to go delinquent and get to collections. I still have kept them. It’s probably time to shred them since it’s been 10 years.
"If everything is special, nothing is" wow! That really spoke to me
When I get a receipt for a large purchase at a retail store like, say, Home Depot or Lowe's, or for a big-ticket item I bought as a gift, I always make a photocopy of it. The ink on receipts these days will fade over a short period of time and sometimes you have to refer to the purchase date for warranties. I put the photocopied receipts inside the manuals, which are still nice to have on hand despite most manuals being online. Good advice.
That's a great idea! I have also noticed how fast the ink fades these days, and have wondered if they do that so people can't return their items...
I'm currently working on a dearly beloved deceased estate and what a great motivator it is to tidy up and significantly reduce my own paperwork. I've taken to writing what I hope will be helpful notes for those who will need to sort out my own estate. For example writing on the annual paper statement from my ISA saving account 'This is currently the only ISA account that I have - January 2021'. Everything is in one ring binder and I've given away my shredder and filing cabinet and I'm ordering a fire proof document holder today.
With any paper documentation I have a shredder at home. I paid $20 for it and I put the shredded paper either into my garden beds or you can take it out into the forest and bury it. It's great for the soil. Some pet stores use it for their puppy and kitten enclosures to.
Technically not everything is available online. Or for free.
I spent 3 hours trying to find a free version of my sewing machine manual.
My neighbor was paying for sewer for 15 years when she found out she had septic. The city only keeps records for 3 years. She dug through her piles of "to shred", and found a bill from 13 years ago (to get a refund).
The IRS will occasionally misplace things. I heard of a guy who lost 4 years of SS income because the IRS didn't have the information and he didn't have the proof.
OMG you sound like my husband. We still have his parents stuff and they have been DEAD for years.
@@phyllisanngodfrey6137 lol that's frustrating. Pretty sure you don't need paperwork for dead people, except a death certificate, after the trust is closed. Maybe keep stuff that a genealogist would put on file.
I download all of my utility and bank statements so I have a digital copy should I ever need them. Some companies only keep a couple years worth of statements online for you to access for free. Hopefully I never need them but it makes me feel better having them and I don’t have to keep the paper copies.
@@keyisme1356 Maybe check for manuals online before trashing paper versions, etc. But I hear you....I often worry about having to prove something to somebody somewhere, and not having the documentation available. So I probably keep too much. I'm working on it....
@@nancywidows463 Agreed, many are downloadable too
8:25 is my mantra for everything in my house! Many wise thoughts in this video. And you’re right: most children will not want all those “artifacts” when they’re adults. They’ll have their own stuff they’ll have to manage.
Our credit union offered shredding 2 times this year, I keep a box of 'to be shredded' under my desk and it got emptied twice! This way I didn't need to deal with it myself and it was easy to load the box and empty it during routine errands. So look for opportunities like this where you live, or propose it to your community connections.
I use the same system however I would recommend in England hanging on to four utility bills. Having had trouble with the electrical supplies a record of your bills and payments proves payment when they changed systems and lost our account detail. Something I have always done when I get a bill I then remove the oldest bill so as not to save too many.
Be sure and shred statements to help avoid identity theft! I have my shredder right next to the waste basket in my study, and can shred statements on the spot.
I saved alot of my children's special stuff and now that they are adults with children of their own they said mom throw that stuff away 😄. They only kept a few things. 😊Blessings ❣
Same here. I saved things for 20 years to give to my children once they were married. When I did, they didn’t want them and threw them away 🙄
Our kids said the same thing! It kind of hurt my feelings. It was more sentimental to me than it was to them.
Yes, I just went through this with my mom. We went through and took photos of everything and made a digital photo album. It made her feel better knowing I could reference it and also that should could see it whenever she wanted to reminisce.
I've heard a few friends say the same thing. Its amazing to me that kids wouldn't want that stuff. I'm 54, and I still have my baby blanket and favorite doll, etc. My husband has nothing from his childhood except a few photos and he wishes he had more memorabilia.
Mine don't even want stuff they saved for themselves as teenagers. It's part of growing up. The time to go through that stuff is with grandchildren. They are more interested in what their parents were like as children, than any of us are about ourselves.
Excellent information! The older I get, the more I realize how very little I need to save.
we really need to do this in our home as well, this video gave me the push I needed haha just ordered some things to help the process!
You got this! 💛
I do the exact same thing with my boys. They are super creative and have drawings, craft etc and they have the freedom to display it on the fridge or their bedroom. Then after a month or so we pile everything up and give them the choice to keep or get rid of it. I find it really important for them to make that choice and it gives them the skills as they grow.😃👍
The military moved us a lot. We got to move a limited number of pounds based on destinations and my husbands rank at the time. My children had very few attachments to things so getting rid of their things themselves was easy for them.
Good Morning Hilary 🌿 Still.working on the closet 😂 I had a whole file cabinet in our garage filled with memorabilia from my children's school and pictures they drew stored all these years, when we moved they went through and pretty much decided not to keep most of it 😁 , hmmm oh well !Thank you for sharimg 🌻
Our grandkids displayed special art they’d done as youngsters at their graduation parties.
I've done that with stuff my mom saved for me, but even so, it was fun to see it one last time before letting it go. Took pictures of some things, and just enjoyed the reminiscing. That was worth it.
Love the way you have gotten your hair to lay now after the holiday cut. It is very appealing on you. Very nice!
It’s definitely grown a lot in just two months 💛
I kept all my artist daughter's crafting and then found a frame that hold 50 sheets of paper. New goal: get through 2 large bins and whittle "to keep" to max 50 items. Then at some point it will go to DD who I hope will enjoy perusing it. At the time it was easier to just bin the items for someday. Lo and behold, 2021 has become someday!
Paper clutter used to be my nemesis but it’s almost defeated now since I’ve been working on it for about 10 months. So much has been tossed, recycled, shredded. The more I deal with the old stuff the easier the new stuff is to handle. What a freeing feeling! I love reading the newspaper but they used to pile up when life happened. Now my rule is any old paper is recycled when a newer one appears, read or not. I like your 4 binder system and am wondering if I could implement it then let our file go.
Watching this as I'm making your vanilla syrup recipe for coffee. 😊 You have been so incredibly helpful in my life! Now to tackle the paper clutter and make some decisions!
Yum, enjoy 🤗
@@OldWorldHome does this need to be refrigerated?
Its been fun and refreshing following along during clutter free January. I got my closet back last week. It took some work, but I feel better.🙂 Thanks for sharing.
I love your method with the notebooks ! Yes, you are so right if you kept every piece of artwork or school work from the children, nothing would be special. And , I always say I would need an addition on my house just to store it all! 😂...Love your tips, Hilary ! Thank you for sharing !
You have a great system. I love how you separate the paper memory box items from all other memory box items. My poor kids. They each have one very large tote memory box. It's a big jumbled mess of church papers with their christening announcements, doctor notes, report cards, letters and cards they've written or made for us over the years , pictures from their special events, christening outfits, signed baseballs, baby blanket, "woobie," :) etc. I used to think I'd organize it, but now that they're both grown ... they'll just have to deal with it at some point. :)
Paper Clutter!!!---The worst thing I hate to handle!!! Great tips.. TFS ❤️🥰
Some companies only keep a year or two online of statements. Many of my product manuals are not available online especially for some of my older stuff.
Your list of important documents was very helpful.
These are some very great ideas! I need to throw bills away sooner!
It's always surprised me the custom in USA of receiving bills and having to go to pay them by check and so on. As having all the bills, bank statements etc in actual mail. Here in Spain it's a custom that everything is auto-pay from the bank account . Water, gas, etc goes straight to the bank the companies send you the bill but you can get them online too. Things as rent you normally transfer the money from your bank to the owners bank. Also the amount of flyers, cupons, magazines you receive also amaze me. Take care XXXX
Go through that 3-ring binder a few days before the end of the school year and return it to the teacher so he/she doesn’t have to buy a new one for the next year. 😃💝
I doubt that during COVID she would--or should--take it back.
@@shopgirl_ny152 Seriously? How hard is it to wipe down a binder?
Keep the binder for next year
@@amybee40 It's not hard to wipe down a binder, obviously, but since some stores aren't allowing returns at the moment, a teacher may not want to handle used binders either.
Thank you I really liked thte Longt Term checklist NEW SUB
Excellent tips Hilary 👍🏻😊.
Just as an FYI the post office won’t shred papers📬. It is a security issue for us. We could be accused of mail disposal.
Oh okay thank you! I think I meant to say the UPS store 😅
Thanks Hilary!
Good suggestion in this video.
Why not keep the cute papers in your bedside drawer in a binder for each kid? You could add it in their school bins as a separate item. And it frees up your bedside table.
Yes if it/when grows then I will relocate them, this is just a spot I know I can put them right away. Systems with kids are always changing that’s for sure 😊
We have a firebox type safe for things like birth certificates, passports, our religious paperwork : marriage and baptism, First Communion certificate. A lot of temporary but don't need anymore stuff gets shredded. Bills paid recently go in our file cabinet.
I take a photo on my phone of invitations, etc. No paper.
Excellent tip!!
Good tips!
Remember floppy disks? They were supposed to be great to store info for long term...yeah, no! Saving on digital format is great...until technology changes 3 seconds later. Stored tax returns on 3" floppy disks...less than 5 yrs later needed something and the computers didnt even have this drive anymore, the Windows had upgraded and didnt support the old digital, etc.
I pay as many bills as I can online mostly on auto pay.
Hi there just a quick question how long should we keep pay slip
It’s really a personal choice, if they’re available online to print out if you need a physical copy I’d say don’t keep any, but if you feel more comfortable keeping them I believe you only need a years worth
Hi can I ask where your green planner is from?
Target 💚
Question: How do you temporarily store receipts for purchases until you know they go through the bank for debit/credit receipts and cash receipts. My pocketbook becomes a mess with holding onto receipts until I k now they have gone through the bank, or in a gift situation if a return might be necessary?
I keep them in my wallet or planner and toss as soon as possible. I also like to give gift receipts with the gift so I don’t have to hold onto the physical paperwork any longer than necessary. A lot of stores can also look up your purchase with your debit/credit card and give you the full return, my sister just did that when she misplaced a Christmas receipt and had no issue.
You can use an expandable file (even dollar tree carries them). Separate by months or by type of bills. As you clean out your purse daily, or weekly you can put them in. Or do it on the same days you pay your bills.
@MomDroogs An accordian file or a shoebox or a pretty cardboard box that they sell like at Michaels, dollar stores, Joanns, etc. with the designs on them.
Good video
I have a real paper clutter problem. It’s everywhere
Hopefully between all the videos in this playlist you will find some helpful tips to implement 💛 More videos will be added throughout the day and week
You're not alone. It's a struggle for me too. I dont know what system I like or works best for me. Still trying to figure it out. These videos give me inspiration
Concerning keeping kids crafts: When my third child was 3, the Sunday school teacher wanted him to color a coloring page with a Bible verse on it. He looked at it, told her what the verse said (the verse of the day), and told her "I will pass on coloring it because it will just go on our fridge for a few days and then go in recycling. Too much paper at our house. Maybe someone else can color it." The Sunday School teacher and I had a good laugh... and he was absolutely correct. Four kids have taught me that you can't keep everything, especially when the kids haven't really done a whole lot in creating it (as a former preschool teacher, most art projects are 75% the teacher/assistant and only 25% kid work.)
Hahah I love that, and yes I absolutely agree ❤️
I'm so torn on this. With 4 kids, I have had to throw out a lot of coloring pages and spelling tests and "good job being you" certificates, believe me. But, I was an art teacher for a decade. (Jr. High and High School) I got tired of seeing some of the kids throw away their projects without even taking them home to show their parents. I mean, some of these kids had real talent. The response I got was "my parents don't like clutter." Ouch! It was hard not to take that as a devaluing of both their creativity and my actual work to teach them something. I implemented a policy that if I found a kid's work in the classroom trash, I changed the grade to an F. Art is what separates us from the animals! If you have older kids in school, maybe ask them what they learned about art when they bring home a project, rather than just recycle it because it's not a Van Gogh.
@@amybee40 as my son noted to his teacher, all of the artwork goes on the fridge for a few days before it is recycled. I have a handful of art pieces for all 4 and my daughter keeps her sketchbooks (she is an artist), but in the end, you can’t keep everything. I sure am glad that they have art teachers who help them find joy in the process of creating it though.
@@denselypackedfancy Yes, I have no problem with that approach! You'd be surprised how some parents are though. It's often the ones who are big into sports, and don't even have a box of crayons in the house...
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🤗
❤️ OOO