Everday Piles and Files: Creating a System to Manage Everday Paper

Class Offerings
by Month
Open Enrollment:
Make Today Matter
Housework Helpers
Menus & Mealtimes

Click here to download the 2010 Class Schedule

Classes Remaining in 2009:

Group 16 of Make Today Matter (begins 10/12) learn more

Self-Discovery Workshop (begins 11/3)

Everyday Paper Piles (begins 10/26)

The 10 Weeks of Christmas (begins 10/12)

5 Weeks $39.00

Sessions:
March 30, 2009
October 26, 2009

Everyday Paper Piles:

Creating A Customized and Efficient System for Managing Everday Paper

Are you drowning in paper?
Do you spend more time looking for paper than you care to admit?

Do you ever pay bills late or miss redeeming a coupon or offer because you have misplaced the paperwork?

Does all of the "incoming paper" in your life land on the kitchen or dining room table?

This class offers a new approach go deal with the paper piles in our life. In fact, the number one organizing question I hear is ... "HOW DO I CONTROL THE PAPER in my life!?!"

In Paper Piles & Files, I guide participants through a systematic approach for handling bulging file cabinets, piles of magazines, archives, and paper piles. In this course we turn our focus to creating a comprehensive system for handling day to day paper.

As the owner of two businesses, and author of many things (including 19 books and weekly, daily and monthly newsletters), and being a natural "piler" instead of a "filer," it became clear that I had to develop a file system that worked to organize my information for easy access. Otherwise, my days would be spent looking for paper, versus working on paper.

I tried many solutions from a new filing cabinet, to color-coded folders with pretty computer-printed labels, to expanding folders, to day-by-day "tickler" systems--all of which worked--for about 3 days. The process of keeping up with these systems took as much time as hunting for what I needed! In this five-week course I'll teach you how to create and implement and efficient system to put daily paper in its place once and for all.

Week by Week Outline:

Week One: Setting Up Shop

Even if we have a handle on our files and piles it can be hard to control and manage the influx of paper from kids, work, mail and others outside the home. This week we will begin by identifying the needs of your system and the type of paper you need to be prepared to manage. We will also "set up shop" and build the basic template of the system you will learn in the weeks to come.

Week Two: Action and Catch-All Envelopes
This week you'll learn why the most common "paper rules" don't work--like handle each piece of paper only once. I'll share my Action Envelope system and we will create the Action Envelopes needed to run your home efficiently and begin using them.

Week Three: Finances, Bank-Statements and all that Stuff

Tired of paying bills late or not being able to find a receipt when you need it? This week we add the Financial Envelopes to create an efficient system for managing money-related papers.

Week Four: Communication Central

With our paper stations in place it is time to create a central place to communicate with others in the household. This week we will cover how to set up a Communication Central system and get your family members on board to keep your system (and your household) running smoothly.

Week Five: Weekly and Monthly Processing

During our last week together we will review how to process your paper weekly and monthly to keep your new system streamlined, efficient and organized

5 Weeks $39.00

How Does This Class Work?
This class features a very easy to navigate portal you will login at to access your acourse.

The weekend before class begins you will be sent your system user ID and password to login to our community support and learning system.

Our classes do not require you to be present at a specific time of day. We use downloadable lessons, message boards, and an online event room to allow you to work through each lesson whenever it fits into your day.

On the class portal page you will be able to:

Share on our private message board. and receive step-by-step help on the journey

Access and print or download your lessons and worksheets

Network with other class members through the instant messaging system, or message boards

Receive a Housework Helpers "Pass": ($10.00 value) As a member of this class, you receive a free pass to our new Housework Helpers for 4 weeks. You will be able to use our moderated sprint room anytime between 6AM and 11PM CST, Monday through Friday and 9:00AM to 11:00 PM CST on weekends. Online sprints are timed challenges to get specific cleaning tasks accomplished in a supportive environment.

This portal is extremely easy to use, no internet or message board finesse required.

How much time does this class require?

This is dependent upon the amount of paper in your life. In the lessons I will teach you how to break the paper into stations so you can work through stations within the course and create a plan for afterward if you have stations remaining. There is no mandatory homework or mandatory sharing so you are free to work at your own pace as well. By completing an action plan and downloading the lessons you can continue to work on your new system at any pace comfortable to you.

How much does this program cost?

Includes printable lessons (25 total), a 1 month Housework Helpers Membership Guest Pass valued at $10), contests, two complimentary issues of our PDF Magazine: Housework Helpers, community support and Q&A for $39.00

5 Weeks $39.00