Desk Day

Paperwork has a way of building up if you are not careful about taking care of it regularly. And it does not matter terribly much if said paperwork is on physical paper or not; digital builds up almost faster than physical these days, at least for me. The physical stuff is just a bit more obvious in its existence and pervasiveness.

In the process of becoming more organised (a process which is ongoing and likely perpetual), I have tried a variety of strategies for dealing with my paperwork in all its varieties. Some strategies have been more useful than others, but I have yet to find the ‘magic bullet’ strategy, the one that will always work, no matter what the situation. Of course, I am fairly certain that strategy does not actually exist, so I make do as best I can with what I have.

The other night I did a “desk day” session, gathering up various bits and pieces of paper, unopened mail, &c. that I had in my room and going through them. I also pulled down my box of receipts and attempted to impose some level of organisation upon them. That was less successful, though I did get some basic sorting done, at least. And I have all the most current receipts on top of the pile . . . that’s something, right?

The goal of a desk day is reasonably straightforward: reduce the overall amount of paperwork to manageable levels and stay on top of things as they come due. I am fairly certain I can get on top of the physical paperwork. Now I just need to work out a solid plan for tackling the digital piles. While they take up no physical space they do take up quite a lot of mental space that could be better used for other things.

Organisation and Creativity

Yesterday I spent most of the day helping my mom go through things in the house and going through papers of my own that had been stored (loose) in a bag up in the attic. The end result of the day’s work was a more organised attic and a bag less of stuff. At this point I have a much better handle on what I still need to go through and where it is.

I now know that I have seven boxes of books I still need to go through (I thought I only had three, but there were four others hiding). The bins I have gone through are arranged in order. The bins I have with other things in them are also grouped in one place, rather than scattered all over the attic. I have taken care of a bag of paperwork, and know which things need to be filed from it and which things can be recycled (or shredded).

Another side effect of organisation (for me, anyway) is an increase in creativity. I am clearing out the excess baggage in my space and giving myself some room to breathe and stretch. Having that space means I actually have room for creative processes, and that overall makes me happier.

The whole letting go thing is still going to take some getting used to, I think, but I’m liking the results (and I haven’t missed any of the stuff I’ve gotten rid of). It’s easier to find books on my shelves; things aren’t as crowded. I have a better handle on where my important papers are, and the stuff that needs shredding is getting shredded. My yarn is (roughly) organised by weight, so I have a better idea of what I own there. I’m making progress on the less visible things, the out of sight spaces that may not have an immediate impact on visual organisation but which are absolutely crucial for long-term success.

I just need to keep moving forward, and things will continue to improve. Mindful organisation decisions lead to greater peace of mind, increased creativity, and a more balanced life overall. Definitely something to work towards.