To reduce the amount of junk mail you get, contact the Direct Marketing AssociationвЂ™s (DMA) Mail Preference Service and ask that your name be removed from mailing lists. To avoid identity theft, shred credit card offers and other papers that include personal information before you discard them. DonвЂ™t stack it or store it pitch it into a conveniently located wastebasket or a paper-recycling container. Plan a system that will work for you - one that will help you make decisions easily.

If you decide to discard it instead, be sure to shred it or safely burn it if it includes sensitive information that could be misused by an identity thief. For ease of access, many people prefer the hanging style of file folder that can be suspended in file drawers or in any of the various plastic or cardboard boxes available at office supply stores. Some people like to use a third container simply for papers that have already been handled and that need to be filedДЇiling papers in labeled folders works best for most people. If you can delegate some record-keeping tasks to someone else, you may want to provide them with a second box, basket, or envelope for the items they will process. If thatвЂ™s not possible, use a box, basket, or envelope to temporarily hold mail you donвЂ™t yet have time to open or papers youвЂ™ve gathered but havenвЂ™t yet sorted or processed. As you open your bills or deal with important papers, itвЂ™s best to handle each one only a few times and to file it immediately. Whether you have a home office or a kitchen table for paying bills and keeping records, your job will be more difficult if you accumulate stacks of papers. Once you get started, organizing the rest of your household papers wonвЂ™t be so difficult. Later, add others in order of the month that you receive them. Place your most recent statement in this folder. If you have space on the label, include the type of account (checking, savings, money market, etc.) and the account number. If you receive a bank or credit union statement this week and donвЂ™t yet have a file for storing your banking information, make one thatвЂ™s labeled with the name of the bank or credit union. Forget the backlog of yesterdayвЂ™s unfiled stacks, at least for now. Organize your record-keeping system to save time and effort. Never search again for an important household paper.

Set realistic goals for getting organized.

Organize and/or replace important papers.

Identify and inventory important papers.

Even on an everyday basis, systematic recordkeeping makes it easier to pay bills on time, find receipts, and share paperwork chores. If weвЂ™re meeting with an attorney or financial adviser, we can prepare in an hour rather than a week. If we experience fire, flood, or theft, we can lay our fingers on essential documents without delay. When something happens to us, it allows our loved ones to readily locate our health-care powers of attorney, insurance policies, medical records, and outstanding bills. How quickly could we access our birth certificates, immunization records, wills, vehicular titles, or even three-month-old credit card statements? Did we file them away and, if so, where? How long would it take to find-or replace-them?ДЄ systematic plan for keeping track of important papers can save hours of anxious searching. While weвЂ™re tempted to lump our personal documents among lifeвЂ™s petty details, their significance can be major. One of lifeвЂ™s most important lessons is distinguishing what is trivial from what is not.

How to organize your bills at home