2012 Get Awesome Plan: Get Clutter-Free

I am pretty ridiculous when it comes to cleaning. But what can I say? I like a tidy house. I like to fully clean the house at least once a week. This includes everyday cleaning + dusting, floors, counters, tables, mirrors, bathrooms, and any other reorganizing tasks. My everyday cleaning includes laundry, dishes, and massive kitchen cleaning. But, I clean my kitchen fully everyday, most of the time more than once!

This all works out though, because I LOVE cleaning! And, luckily Ethan likes a neat and organized place just as much as I do. I would prefer to do all the cleaning myself, but when the busy school weeks come around it can get stressful. I will stress out if the house gets what I consider "dirty"-which is maybe a few dishes in sink and half a basket of laundry- and I am too busy to do it.
So since this semester is going to be so much busier, I am trying to prepare myself with more organization. I have already told you all that we will each have personal schedules, and on those we are going to add chores, essentially. Mostly mine will just help me better use my time and maybe designate certain days for laundry and such. We are going to add some things to Eth's schedule too, becuase I am finally willing to give up some responsibilities so that I won't get too overwhelmed. He already does a lot, but I could let him do more so that I don't get too stressed out and mad at the fact that I am doing it all by myself (even though I like it that way- yep, I can be a pill sometimes).

One of my many pet peeves is clutter, I wish I could buy hundreds of containers to keep everything in, and label them...ahhh, yes what a dream! I decided to start small though and finally get those awful piles of paper, bills and such, organized. Maybe I am the only one who had this problem. But, I had just piles, organized piles, of papers that I did not know what to do with. I tried stuffing them in drawers but it killed me to think about leaving them there, forever? I have planned for a long time to purchase and paint an old shutter to keep bills and mail in as I get them, which would solve some of the problem, but not what to do with them after you have paid them. I have always dreamed of a filing cabinet, which is the ultimate solution. The magnificent tidiness of it makes me smile...labels and folders neatly organizing documents in one place. So this was always on my wish list and until I got one I would just keep my organized piles in drawers and on top of the fridge.

Well, no more clutter! I finally got me a little file box! It is quite sad, but I was more excited about purchasing this than almost anything I have ever bought. I spent just about an hour organizing everything, and loved every minute of it! I of course took pictures to share with you the awesomeness, and they are below:

I put pretty much everything in here from bills and pay stubs to photos and random manuals. I just love it. Eventually I will purchase that filing cabinet and transfer it all, but until then I feel so much better getting that off my to do list.

And until I find and paint that old shutter, I decided to organize my bills.

I made The Bill Book.

I can't decide which organizational idea I like more, but using these two together lands me in neat freak heaven!
I have pictures of it below and what you will need to start your own Bill Book:

Need:
-binder
-calculator (I still have to buy me a little one)
-pencil pouch (on the list to pick up too)
-black pen
-highlighter
-printable calendar
-sheet protector
-envelopes
-stamps
-checkbook
-bills (shouldn't be hard for most of us to come up with)

You can of course personalize this book to your liking, but this is what I have, or will have soon, in my Bill Book.

As soon as I get my binder pencil pouch, it will be in front holding the pens, calculator, stamps, etc.

 I printed this calendar using a template on Microsoft Word. I printed for 6 months in advance and plan to write in the due dates of each bill as I get it in the mail.

 I then highlight the ones that have been paid, but I might pick up a red pen instead...it may be more satisfying! :)

 Lastly, I drop them into the sheet protector which has been labeled as "Paid." Then, at the end of the month I can take these out and put them in their designated areas in the file box!

I love this method already and know that it is going to make my life just a little less stressful. I mean anyone can use this to better keep everything organized. I do plan to add one last thing to the binder, our official Budget. We are still working on it, but when it is finished we will be able to look to it easily for money plans. I want to have everything covered, mostly monthly bills, have some put away for saving, and hopefully even some fun money.

I hope you can use these ideas to better make this year Awesome!

Have a great night!