Say GOOD-BYE to piles of paper clutter on your kitchen counter!!

Years back I heard this catch phrase – don’t put it down, put it away!  I thought it was brilliant then and I still do.  This is one of the foundational steps in being organized.

Once every item in your house has a home the follow-up step is don’t put it down, put it away!  Do your very best to get this catch phrase stuck in your head and repeat it over and over to your family members as well.

Often times it take only a few more steps to put something away, rather than just putting it down.  When you come in the door at the end of the day and have your purse, your day bag and your lunch bag, instead of plopping them on the floor,  just move directly to their homes and put them away.

One of the things that we often put down instead of putting away is the short term temporary paper that we all accumulate in our homes.  Heart of the Matter has a plan for this.  Remember, everything needs a home and that includes this paper.

Most of us have at least one hot spot in our homes.  Where’s yours?  On your kitchen cupboard or the corner of your dining room table?  It is the spot where short term  temporary paper accumulates in the homes of busy families.

The scary thing is that in that pile there can be things from one extreme to the other – junk mail on its way to recycling or a cheque for $300 that came in the mail that day.

Remember…….Everything needs a home and that includes your short term/temporary paper.

Our suggestion is to turn your Hotspot into a Hotfile.  This allows you to put your paper away, rather than just putting it down!

Get yourself a file caddy.  HOM sells our version as a kit.  You can purchase the kit through us or put your own together.

In addition to your file caddy you’ll need hanging files, a couple of file folders and tabs.

Sit down with your Hotspot and go through it…….give every category of paper a “home”

Here are some ideas for possible categories

1.  Red Hot File – use a red file folder so it stands out.

the “oh my gosh can’t forget about this” …….file.

discipline yourself to check it everyday.  If you don’t check it you won’t trust it, and if you don’t trust it you won’t put anything in it and the system will break down.

2.  To Read File – use a manilla file folder so it is portable.  This is the spot where you put the little bits that you’d like to read.  The school newsletter, inserts from your bills.  Grab it and take it along when you’ll be waiting at the doctor’s office or for your kids at piano lessons.  Catch up on your reading – recycle when you are done and drop the folder back into place in your Hotfile!

3.  Create a File for each member of the family.

4.  One for committees/clubs that you are involved with.

5.  A file for the week’s grocery flyers.

6.  One to store items for income tax as they accumulate throughout the year.

7.  One for take out menus.

8.  One for items you are researching to purchase.

You get the idea – sit down with your Hotspot and give everything a home.

Then…..follow these 3 Rules:

1.  Check the Hotfile daily (do it at the same time you take your vitamins or drink your morning coffee – so it becomes a habit)

*remember…..if you don’t check it you won’t trust it, and if you don’t trust it you won’t use it!

2.  Give your Hotfile a home in prime real estate,  It needs to be close to the action.  We are basically lazy.  Put it too far away and you’ll never use it.

3.  Set-up categories appropriate for your family

Follow this plan and you will have a great system that works for handling your short term/temporary paper!

Remember……Everything needs a home and that includes the short-term temporary paper that passes through our hands.

Food for Thought

“…..and to wake up knowing God is on my side……is enough.”

Deep breath……..and again…….. thank you God for this simple truth…..

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