This post was sponsored by Fellowes as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.
What does spring cleaning represent for you?
For me, it’s all about de-cluttering and out with the old… Although most people look towards cleaning out closets and garages, this also holds true for all the paperwork that crosses my desk too! When your husband has a chronic medical condition, you can expect to have a medical file as thick as ours, however that’s another topic for another day altogether.
So what do you do when the insurance company sends you every last billing detail down to the amount of pills dispensed during your hospital visit? It’s not really necessary to keep all this on record, but I’m not a big fan of throwing materials with personal info in the trash for fear of identity theft or something along those lines. So they pile up and this is how an out-of-control stack of paperwork begins!
I used to take old documents to the local storage & shipping store in town because they shred by the pound for a reasonable fee. I felt a little uneasy about that because the clerk took the box, weighed it and brought it to the back of the store where they “shred”. Even though I’m sure they shredded it, I can never be 100% sure that they have. I’ve decided that the best way to know for sure is to shred it yourself and toss the shreds in the recycle bin without worry!
I was given the opportunity to try the Fellowes 12Cs PowerShred and it’s been a wonderful solution! It’s a powerful but small unit that can take as many as 12 sheets at a time. It shreds with crosscut as to be sure it’s really destroyed and can’t be pieced back together. Surprisingly, I thought it would have been louder than it was too! Productivity pro Laura Stack has a list of tips to organize your life – spring cleaning is all about getting organized and taking back time with your family!
- Get rid of excess papers you don’t need. You should either file it away if it’s important or shred and recycle if it’s not needed. Things like receipts and in my case medical billing paperwork can be shredded if it’s no longer needed. The Fellowes 12Cs PowerShred will mow through all those papers in no time and you can just toss the shreds in the recycle bin.
- Always label files in a manner that makes sense to you. Some good ways would be by color, subject or even a fun decorative folder. My tax folder has gold glittery hearts all over it because I love taxes so much!
- Set a schedule – especially if you have kids. I know how hard this one is and it’s definitely one I need to work on because I’m a hot mess 90% of the time. But setting a clear routine can help you complete things faster. Examples include making lunches right after dinner cleanup so you don’t have to do it in the morning or setting out your kids clothing so there’s no fuss over getting kids ready for school.
- Time yourself for certain tasks that can be time-consuming. Cleaning out the closet can maybe take all day to re-organize, but you only 45 minutes before you have to pick up kids at school. Timing yourself can help keep you focused and on track so you can complete the task at hand.
So what are your goals for spring cleaning? Aside from cleaning my files and getting rid of old paperwork, I plan to clean the kids closet of old clothes that don’t fit them anymore, the linen closet and the kitchen cabinets need to be flushed of all the cheap containers that no longer have lids.
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