UNITED STATES─Getting organized is no easy feat. For some of us, the shear thought of thinking about doing some organization work prevents us from doing the work. Why? Our brains just get tired thinking about it. I for one am someone who really has to work on getting paperwork organized. When it comes to work, I have things organized to a ‘T.’
However, when it comes to personal stuff that is another story. There are two things people know about me: I keep receipts for everything I buy, and I keep paper statements for all of by bills. Yes, we live in a digital world, but the problem with everything digital is that you can easily be hacked or have your information compromised. I know I need to get with the times, but for years people kept things organized without technology, so why change it if it’s not broken.
With that said, I have a great memory, when it comes to my bills. I know exactly what I owe on each of my credit cards, what my credit available is and what amount is due each month and on what day. I’m not actually tooting my horn it’s just that I have a great memory when it comes to specific things that are important in life. I mean come on America, its bills! You have to pay your bills if you want to have certain things in your life, you really cannot get around those things, even if you wanted to.
My bills I’m good at keeping organized, the one problem I tend to face is shredding bills that are older than 6 months. I sometimes let things pile up to where they reach a point where I’m shredding bills and old paperwork for 2-3 hours if not longer. While not fun, the one good thing I get out of it is the fact that I have eliminated waste that was taking up space and making my life feel overwhelmed.
With that said, let’s get to the thing that really boils my blood: organizing receipts. I like to organize my receipts into categories: electronics, clothing, groceries, household items/essentials, fast-food and entertainment. I used to have a system where anytime I go out and visit a bunch of places I would staple all those receipts together. The problem with doing that is that it prevented me from focusing on where my money was being spent which was key for me.
I wanted to know what I’m spending money on so that I can organize things so I’m not overspending or throwing money away unnecessarily. For me the bulk of my organization comes with bills and receipts. For others it might be movies, watches, clothes, shoes, jewelry, pictures, the list goes on and on. You have to have a plan when it comes to organization. Just tackling it without a plan prevents you from actually accomplishing what it is that you want to focus all of your energy on.
When you are organized it leaves you with an inner peace, less stress and more focus. Of course it might take a bit of time to get where you want to be, but the fact of the matter is that you’ve gotten there and that is key. When you take the clutter out of your life, you have more clarity.
Written By Zoe Mitchell
