Right! I have very few bills that come by mail or that I pay by mail. The dentist and doctor are the only ones I can think of.
A lot of the stuff we get is from my son’s teacher. Homework, whatever event they need money or supplies for, etc. It’s a lot of paper to organize.
Then there’s a bunch of stuff to either file or shred, but I can’t do that when my husband is working from home so it’s good there’s a place for that stuff.
My husband has really been receptive to the multiple mailbox thing. He’s been going through his mail every night and now that it’s on the side counter and not on top of the kitchen island, I’m happy. Very happy addition to our home.
And wash the dishes every night/put them away in the morning is working like gangbusters. There hasn’t been anything on our kitchen counters for like two weeks. I am surprised how much easier it is to keep up with it even on busy workdays. We used to have stuff piling up throughout the week. Even yesterday, when my car battery died and I spent most of the day replacing it, there was still nothing on the counters!
it is amazing how little things can make a big impact.
Oh, all of them that I can automate are definitely automated. But I also have the same problem with bills by email. When I have time to do it right away, which is maybe, eh, 3/4 of the time, it’s fine. The remaining 1/4 can get lost in my email, which comes at a much higher volume than the snail mail does. However, I’ve started to get a handle on this now that I have a smartwatch! I can add things to my to-do list by dictation even when it would be awkward to do it on my phone (e.g. if I’m on a walk, or doing things around the house). So I think the problem is just that I need to have systems to keep up with it.
I love my smartwatch for this reason. I’m able to set reminders as soon as I remember I need to do something, and I set the reminder for a time I’ll actually be able to do it (or at least add it to Trello.)
I’m reading Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K White of the aforementioned podcast. There are definitely areas in my house left that need to be decluttered, but less than I would have thought. The big area is my husband’s office/random storage and I think I have to start. My son’s bookcase in the living room isn’t great either. I’m using the visibility rule to start with what I can see. Then there’s the idea of treating everything as a container and you can only fit what you can fit and have to let the rest go. I just hauled in some more cross stitch supplies - what I need to properly block and frame my first real piece, so these are non-negotiable supplies, and now I’m sitting here wondering what I have to give up to accommodate this new stuff. That’s the mindset shift the book is trying to engender. Like there’s only so much room and stop trying to fit in more stuff than your space can accommodate. I like her approach because she makes room for feeling emotions but says you can’t let your decision be based on your emotions. Your decision should be based on your space.
If you substitute “time” for “space” it’s equally true. Your day can’t hold more than fits. No matter how much you wish it did or however much you don’t want to say “No” to some request to do one more thing.
Boy does that resonate lately.
(It’s also the premise of 4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals.) Another book I recommend.
Due to changes in my energy levels from the chemo this summer I’ve had to “de-clutter” my time recently. Instead of making a list of all I want to get done in a day I make one based on priorities and deadlines. So I never finish the list, but what needs to get done gets done by when it must be done. Some days I get more done than others, but it represents a big change in how I schedule my time.
Although I could swear I set my internet bill up for autopayment and it turns out I didn’t…? Have to follow up on that one. How annoying.