I was rummaging through my desk and found this little clipping I kept. I don't know where I got it from, but it must have been in the Chicago Tribune or the Star Advertiser.
I thought it was rather interesting. We tend to keep all kinds of papers forever.
Art keeps our receipts until his desk storage is so full he can't fit another thing. Then he culls what we don't need.
When we were moving to Hawaii three years ago, we threw out a lot of papers and documents we no longer needed not to mention selling or donating other treasures we stored in the attic and crawl space. There was a lot of stuff. Art is a pack rat.
Now that we're in Hawaii, we're trying not to accumulate stuff again. Gee, it's hard.
Now that I've posted this article on this blog, I guess I can throw it away.
yes we do accumulate. we're going to get new flooring in our computer room which means unplugging and moving everything-files, bookcases, desks, etc. I'm not looking forward to that process but only the final product-neatness returns for a while. lol!
ReplyDeleteWe keep everything in a large shopping bag. Every June, we empty the bag on our bed and discard the previous year's stuff but save this year's stuff.
ReplyDeleteI meant to offer this comment yesterday, but you're too quick for me, Kay, and have added a new post. Back to the LL Bean pants for a minute: my very favorite pants in the whole, wide world are the LL Bean Perfect Fit Pants stretchy knit, elastic waist, the whole nine yards. I always wear them on planes, always take them in my suitcase, always wear them to exercise class, usually wear them when I go shopping. They keep their shape, they look rather dressy if that's called for, they're just plain great. I have them in black, brown, and navy. I'd be embarrassed to tell you how many pairs I own, but that's because I always pick up yet another pair if I find them at an LL Bean Outlet for $14.99-19.99 a pair instead of the retail $39.99 a pair.
ReplyDeleteThat is one thing I am not. I am not a pack rat. I keep papers as long as required and then out they go. I can't stand clutter and our house is too small for storage of anything that is not absolutely necessary.
ReplyDeleteWe clear our papers once in a year right after we pay our annual income tax.For electricity bills/tax receipts and other important papers we have permanent files.
ReplyDeletePardon this worrisome question--if you keep records on the computer, how many backups do you keep? I've had so many hard drives wipe out and not recovered, I like three copies of everything I need backed up on portable hard drives. Redundancy is hard electronically.I agree, I hate piles of paper and try to purge as much as possible.
ReplyDeleteI am a piler. I tend to put papers in a pile and when it gets too big, I clean it out. But hubby is not. He throws away all those papers, except for the important ones like are mentioned in the article. I'm glad he's not a pack rat because we don't have much space.
ReplyDeleteI have to go through and purge ever so often. I did a bit of that yesterday but need to do lots more. Thanks for the reminder of what to keep.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking scanning my personal pile and storing them all on a disc. Some of the ink today isn't as long lasting.
ReplyDeleteWe have a system. All important receipts, etc. go into a file for the year, divided by category. When I do the taxes, everything goes into a manila envelope, which goes into a box. When the new one goes in, the oldest one (seven years old) comes out. We don't keep day to do receipts.
ReplyDeleteIn recent years, I have been moving more and more of my bills into an electronic format. That cuts down on the paper and the trees felled to make the paper. The stuff I chuck goes into the recycle bin. Go Green I say. Dianne
ReplyDeletePS, the paper stuff I have includes cemetery plot deeds and other stuff not on the list. Thinking about the next generation. Dianne
ReplyDeleteIt's terrible how the clutter accumulates, at least you did some culling on your last move!
ReplyDeleteAnother observation--I'm not part of the ICloud and I have none of the Apple devices. I dream of the day when I could afford all of their products and then I can put everything in their Cloud so I can be truly paperless.
ReplyDeleteI'm a pack rat, but moving 6 times in 14 years helps.
ReplyDeleteMy husband has moved 22 times!
Cheers from snowy Cottage Country!
going through this now after 19 years in one floating home! Thanks fo da tips!
ReplyDeleteAloha from Honolulu Town
Comfort Spiral
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I don't know how those things likes receipts and old papers accumulate like they do, but it seems that I am always sorting through files and thinking I need to throw things away. I have seen that recommendation list before. I may have kept it somewhere. Its good that you have it posted on your blog. Now, we all know where it can be found. :0
ReplyDeleteI'm a pack rat. I keep everything that has some utility value. I know I'd be much happier getting rid of it. But I always seem to find use for the things kept, so that keeps the insanity going. Same with paper files, articles and information.
ReplyDeleteL.
Ah but did you? Did you really throw away the clipped article? ;)
ReplyDeleteDina: You know us far too well. I was going to throw it away but Art said he would keep it. It's in his office somewhere.
ReplyDeleteGosh, I'm the world's worst, in fact I still have the paperwork from our first year of marriage (1976) and our first year of being in business (1979) and even some stuff when I turned 16. That is really bad isn't it. At least it is packed in a box in storage!
ReplyDelete