Home Organization: Files

Peter and I have been talking about sorting our files for a number of years now. Seriously, years. We'd say things like:
           We really need to do something about those files
           Let's sort the file on the next rainy weekend
           The files are getting out of control
           Well, maybe it's not so bad

It is such an easy task to put off! We'd add to the files often or at least stack the papers that we needed to file on top of of the cabinet- which is nearly the same as filing, right? Unfortunately, we failed to ever actually assess the contents of our file cabinet.

I decided I would start working on our file cabinet earlier last week. Peter will openly tell you his strategy for the files has been to keep everything so I figured it would be a drawn out project that I could tackle over a few days. It wasn't. After I developed some rules as to what to keep and for how long, the project turned into a major purge followed by some label making, sorting, and shredding. While sorting, I found a receipt from 2003 citing Peter's application for a new social security card. It has since been shredded.

                           Before :: His Style                                                    After :: Her Style      

           

I loaded up an entire box of papers which didn't need to be shredded for the recycling center. Once I started shredding outdated files, the sheer quantity was staggering.

 

I labeled the newly sorted files by category and individually. (Please don't be deceived into thinking the files are also color coded, I just used the folders we already had which happen to be yellow, red, and green).

We will be taking great efforts to maintain the organization of files. For one, I disposed of the "catch all" box that used to hold papers that needed filing. Additionally with our newly established rules for what to keep and what to toss, we will not be keeping every paper that comes in the house.

Etiquette

When speaking to an obviously pregnant stranger:  

Appropriate 
"When are you due?"
"At the end of the month."
"Really? You look great."
"Thank you so much. That's very sweet."
Office Max, February 2 

Inappropriate 
After starring at pregnant belly without comment
"How many babies do you have in there?"
"Just one."
"Really?! It looks like more than that! Like two or three."
"Well, I'm due in a few weeks."
"Huh. That baby must really like donuts."
Dunkin' Donuts, January 31

February First

The day is here, people: February 1.

It is a day I marked off months ago as a milestone. I said on February 1 we'd install the car seat bases*, I'd create a hospital bag list, and try to prepare myself for the fact that the baby could arrive at any time. I went to the doctor this morning and all is well. There are healthy indications of forward progress so it is fine time to make final preparations.

The start of February marks a shift in the types of projects I will be undertaking. Up until this point, most of my projects have had a clear beginning, middle, and end. This month the projects I have planned are far more fluid. I'm going to work on stocking our freezer with meals to share or enjoy once the baby arrives. I'd like to sort through and organize our files, a seemingly endless task. And I suppose I'll collect items and jot notes for the baby book. All projects which can easily be started, stopped, and resumed at any time.

Bring it on, February!

Calendar from Red Stamp

*One of the car seat bases has actually been in the car since January 18. I called to schedule a car seat check with our hospital and absentmindedly agreed to a check on February 27. Once I realized my error, I called back to reschedule and the only open date they had was January 18.  So the car seat base has been properly installed in the Fit since mid-January. Being February 1, we'll put the second base in the Mazda today.