There is evidence of an ongoing effort to organize paperwork. There are times, in the past, when I sat down and made the attempt to tame the talking papers. Put them all in a row, like ducks. Ha!
Even if the effort to organize was accomplished in fits and starts, as I sort through the drawers and boxes of papers from yesteryear, I am amazed at the number of file folders for each year simply labeled "To File".
Fortunately, during the effort to move through the piles of files, I've discovered the title to the Mustang, the registrations for the trailer (since sold), the Motorcycle (still have to put up for sale), and some other documents relevant to 2015.
I've also discovered manuals for other items we plan to sell online, and receipts which will help me set a selling price. The nice thing about having these things fairly organized is that when I find that one valuable folder, a few more pleasant surprises are usually tucked away in the same place.
I'd love (capital letters love) to bring zero paperwork with Us when we move out west. I fancy the idea of scanning everything that isn't legally required to be an original. Would my electronic filing system be any better organized than the hanging file folder in a two drawer cabinet system?
One of the benefits of living in Portsmouth, VA, is that the city recently adopted a recycling program once again. Thankfully they pick up every other week. Since the program began, we have rarely had more than one or two bags of household trash for weekly pick up. Not bad for a house hold of four adults and two pets.
The amount we collect to put into the recycle bin has often exceeded the capacity of the recycling container. Those are the times we've resorted to filling up the unused space in one or more of the recycling buckets at a neighbors.
It's convenient to have curb side pick up. It isn't, however, safe to throw every document into the recycling bucket.
There are no security measures for the papers tossed into the recycle bin. Meaning, any one can grab the papers any where along the way from the time I pull the bucket curbside to the time it is recycled at the SPSA plant.
So, when there is any identification whatsoever, a name, an address, an account number, a phone number, then the document gets tossed over to the shred box. If the document doesn't contain identification, but is personal in nature, it gets put into the same place. Everything else gets a toss over to the recycling bin.
In two weeks time, the box of papers to shred is now overflowing. It is a relief to get out of the house straight away those papers that can be recycled and picked up like clockwork every two weeks. Either way, It's visible progress.
There are days when it seems that this downsizing project is going on for far longer than I'd imagined it would, but then, there are days when I realize that, like today's date, March 4th, there is momentum and forward movement. I am happy to refocus on the effort to downsize when I can, and take breaks as long as I need to.
Two important things to remember. Keep moving things out of the house as often and as quickly as possible. The open space inspires the desire for more open space.
There is art in an open space.
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