...is always, always an issue. It's crucial to organization and living life smoothy and basically being an adult since that state somehow comes with loads of important paperwork. Yet it's a total drag. Paying the bills is exhausting enough, the last thing we want to do is unearth the file boxes from the dark front hall closet and cram endless pieces of paper into their slots. So the papers pile up and we forget what's in the pile and then I respond late to my jury summons and it's a mess and I don't just mean the pile of paper (on the bright side, when we finally sorted this stack, we discovered a hefty check we didn't even know our escrow account, whatever that is, refunded us!)
I've thought long and hard about how to make filing if not fun at least easier. I thought if we had some kind of file cabinet/furniture out around the house we might be more inclined to pull open a drawer and deal with stuff as it comes. But if you've ever tried shopping for file cabinets you know the beautiful ones cost two months worth of grocery budget, and the ugly ones are so ugly they're only fit to be shoved in a closet and then we're back in the original predicament. But something had to be done about the stacks of paper around our house. So we improvised.
An antique dairy crate was $10, casters were $10, matchy green file folders were $4 and we have a new file box.
It sits out in the open, because it's cute, and right by Zeb's chair where the finances and 'dealing with stuff' happens.
The mundane made beautiful. We have no excuse to put off filing now, may we never deal with cluttery stacks of paper again. 
14 comments:
Beautiful! Someday you are going to be paid just to re-purpose things for other people. I think I need one of these for myself (filing does NOT happen well here).
Oh my - filing is hellish chore. I used to be very disciplined about it, when I first declared adulthood in college and for the first couple of years after we got married. Then I determined, "Hey, we're doing alright," and also worried, "but what if something horrible comes in the mail to screw it all up?!" - so I stopped opening mail. Very ostrich of me. I started having all my bills autodrafted so I wouldn't have to open the bills that came in the mail. I got afraid of the mail. I resorted to sticking all bankish/billish mail in a brown bag and sorting through it "later", which turned out to be once or twice a year. YIKES!
I just did filing last week - finding a check and also lots of medical bill issues that I had thought were resolved. I agonized before doing it, while I was doing it...and then once it was done I felt so much better that I resolved never to put mail in a bag ever again. I use binders to organize; generally each binder corresponds with an address we've lived at. (That's a lot of binders.) But I really like your rolling dairy crate. Nice!
That is so awesome Sarah. I love it! Also, what kind of a Camera did you get? You are taking beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing them.
This is VERY cute! Much cuter than my system! (I really like the green files with the wood crate.)
might have to steal that idea...perfection....well almost...I have an obsession with lids, or tops of some sort so I'd have to work on that aspect but that might ruin the out in the open aspect...hmmm...much to think on. Right now my filing is in a plastic target box in the closet but we don't have an over abundance of filing so it works..so so.
Lovely. as usual. :)
So nice. Files help me all year long, and then one time a year (this time) I have to clear out the old and start fresh again. But it's a great feeling to do so...after I get to it.
i love, love, love this.
That is so great! I'm glad you kids got your mother's creativity!
Well done! And I agree with Marianne. Just move back now and we'll help you open shop ... after you help us with a few of our own organizational issues :)
I spotted this little wonder by the chair this past weekend. It is indeed as adorable as it looks in the pictures. Great job!
I saw this when I was at your house, and wondered where it had come from. If it had actually been keeping up with the internet I would have seen this earlier, and commented on how cute it we in person.
Thanks everyone! I'm already finding it amazingly helpful in keeping paper clutter at bay! And K-Dawg, the Canon Rebel Xsi is my camera for the moment:)
Stumbled across your blog by clicking Next Blog. I try and do it a couple of times a week to see where in the virtual world I end up.
My office needs a major filing session - you just gave me some ideas Thanks.
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