So, here it is. My kitchen table. I cannot believe how easy this system is. I completed this task in under 45 minutes, and that is with me taking a 10 minute phone call. Unbelievable.
I need to tell you a little story about me and this table. When I got married, my husband and I made a good living. But within 5 months, I had lost my medical (due to the medications that I was taking). That meant I could no longer do air traffic and it would only be a matter of time before I lost my job. This was something that my husband and I never expected. I had been doing air traffic for the civilian sector for 11 years and I was an air traffic controller in the military for 4 years. Anyway, whenever I lost my job, things changed. We had some money in savings but not that much. Health wise I was not doing that good - Luckily my husband's parents were here to help out with the kids.
I started shopping at the Salvation Army. And that is where I got this beautiful table. It was $35. It came with chairs, but the chairs were really bad off. So, I took 2 chairs from my husband's kitchen table (seated 4) and 4 chairs from my kitchen table (seated 4). So, now we had a big chunky table that seated 6 comfortably. What a God send.
I bought clothes from there because we really didn't have the money for me to go to department stores and my weight was changing due to the meds. This went on for about 2 years. The company wouldn't let me go, nor would they pay me.Our situation got so bleak that our name was in the paper for unpaid taxes, and we were trying to find ways to stay in the house. Some how we made it. Lots of prayers - no doubt. I still visit the Salvation Army once and a while for jewelry or craft stuff or just to look around. This whole experience has changed my outlook in life for good and for bad. I give things away constantly. I pass down the kids' clothes to family members or to the Salvation Army or Goodwill. I give to families who are less fortunate than me. These are all the good things that have come out of my experience. The bad thing is that now I find I want to hold on to stuff. I held on to stuff before, but I have become worse. I don't know if it is because I fear an unstable environment could come again, or because I want to hold on to memories thru possessions. Either way, I need to break myself from this bad habit.
Anyway, - let's get back on task. If anyone has a good idea on what to do with the mail and newspapers that are brought into the house, I could use one. I usually just put it on the table, so that my husband can look thru it, but I know that is not a good idea.
Thanks for tuning in. I will have another project tomorrow. Until then...
This is me. This is my blog.
How I handle paper clutter: First of all I call myself the executive when it comes to handling all the mail and paperwork coming in. That way, there is no one else to pass the buck to and I stay on top of it. I cut our paper down to Sundays only (if Jason wants to read the paper during the week he just goes online) I like the coupons in Sundays paper and we enjoy reading it together, but come Monday that paper is in the recycle bin.(which we drop off to the school in a fundraiser paper dumpster, which takes all paper, magazines, mail...). Next I go through the mail daily and sort out bills and coupons. Then I do have a kitchen junk drawer that holds anything that needs to be held onto but does not have a place or I just don't have time. All invitations get put on the family calendar on the fridge and the invite thrown in the recycle. All kids papers I go through every night and reminders get put on the calendar and homework in the trash. As far as all that art work and keepsake stuff, I keep a selection of papers/artwork throughout the year and at the end of the year I pick about a sampling of 10 things that represent the year. I also frame the children's art work during the year for kitchen art.(Put a mat and frame on anything and it turns into a masterpiece). So there you have it. How I conquer my paper clutter.
ReplyDeletepaintergirl - I wish I could put a mat and a frame around this comment. Awesome--so much good information. I think I will have to print this one out. Thank you.
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