March 13, 2018

Last week I spent several days conquering the mountains of papers in my lateral file drawers. I have 2 large file drawers that I haven’t cleaned out since I got them many years ago. Most files were old enough and outdated enough that I was able to throw away most of the contents. Others were full of outdated material that I combed through with a vengeance.

I made new folders and labeled them for things I plan to keep. I’m sorry I didn’t take a “before” and “after” photo, but the difference is amazing. The bottom drawer that was tightly packed is now only 1/3 full.

The top drawer is full of current papers so I’m still working on it. But so far, I’ve culled out enough that it has more space than it has seen in years!

I thought I had to keep papers for 7 years, and 7 years is suggested if you have a business (which I do). But for most returns, it is only 3 years. In some less common instances it is 7 years.  Medical papers should be kept for a year. But some recommendations say 5 years from the time of your medical condition. Just a suggestion, if you’ve had surgery or some medical procedure, it’s a good idea to keep a file (online) of when it took place so when your doctor asks you when you had your last colonoscopy (gasp), you can accurately tell her. (You don’t want to go through one of those more than you have to!)

I also cleaned out some items on my book shelves. I found some more sentimental items like my award certificates from Avon. They scanned very nicely and it felt great to clear out the space on my very cluttered book shelves. Other items were outdated business cards, business stamps and envelopes from an old business.

I love the new “clean” uncluttered look. But I’m not done yet. I have another 4-drawer file cabinet in the garage that I haven’t opened in a loooong time.

Getting the time do clean out your stuffed file drawers may seem huge and daunting. Again, the secret is to attack it when you have a few minutes of time. If you’re worried about what to do with papers with sensitive or personal information, you can pay a shredding company to have them disposed of, or do what we did–use them for fire starter material. Smile.