Lately, I've been looking around the homestead and noticing quite a bit of piles....paper piles, cookie piles (okay, we just got our Girl Scout shipments in to deliver), clothing piles, magazine piles, mail piles, and then I've got the piles of stuff hidden away in "junk drawers" and all the wayward items that somehow find their way to my basement or to my garage.  I need help but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed.  I don't think I'm quite ready to be on a "Clean House" episode but I wish the "Organizing Fairy" would visit my house soon.


Here was my old system - shoving papers in a box - out of sight out of mind  - but not really a good system. I'd also pile important papers behind the boxes.  It would get bigger and bigger and not very attractive to look at.  Then I'd have to sort through it all...ugh, ugh, and ugh again.


Well, lucky for me I have a friend, Lisa Woodruff, who recently started on a new path in her quest to help others get organized.  She already has a website, WarriorMama.com, but she now has a new facebook fan page,Organize 365, where she posts an organizing tip each day.  She's also a rep for Clever Container and she gave me a chance to test out and giveaway their "Spohistocated File Tote" ($65.95 value).  This tote has really helped me to get my day to day papers under control.  I now have an easily accessible file system that I keep near my computer so if I'm ready to pay bills, they are there, if I need to file away a tax statement it's easy peasy, if I need to file a medical bill I've got that covered.  Check out these pictures to see what I'm talking about.


Ahhhhh.....my sanity has arrived (note mess of papers behind green boxes in the background of this picture).


I've got all my file tabs filled out and I added my papers. Now when I have to pay bills, I can find them easily in the "pay bills" file.  Or if I need to find a medical statement, I can go to that file. Note the background now....paper clutter be gone!

After getting my tote, Lisa, also sent me her e-book on "10 Steps to Organized Paper"- it was filled with great tips on how to tackle those paper piles. You can even purchase her e-book on her website for $5. Or you can email Lisa and you could host your very own Clever Container home party and have her right there showing you some great ways to help you get organized. 

Lisa even got me inspired after seeing her tip on how she has organized some of her refrigerator items into baskets, I decided to tackle the everyday whine fest we have when the girls come home from school and they are tired and hungry.  They would always ask me for a snack and after I go through the list, the whining would ensue since none of the snacks were what they wanted. So, I now have a refrigerator basket filled with items and a pantry basket filled with items.  I pull out the pantry basket and leave it on the counter.  The girls can pick one snack from each basket. There are plenty of choices in each so they should be able to find something.  If they complain, then "no snack for you" (said in a Seinfeld like episode relating to soup....am I dating myself?).  So far, the snack plan has been a success (okay, we've only done it for one day but so far so good, right?).

Our new after school snack plan.

Now onward to the "Sophisticated File Tote" Giveaway.  Whoo-hoo, this is a great one.  One lucky MasonMetu newsletter subscriber (new or current) is going to get to pick out their color (black, brown, or pink) and we'll have this shipped to you to get you on your way to paper nirvana.  To leave a comment, you will need to click on the title of the blog post then re-scroll down the page to find the Disqus comment box associated with this post. I know it's an extra step but if you win it will be worth it.  You must be 18 years or older to enter. The giveaway will end on Thursday, March 1 at 5pm.

To enter please do this:
  • Join our free weekly newsletter and leave a comment on why this tote would make your life easier (current subscribers just leave a comment).  Your emails are never shared.

Extra entries:

  • Visit Organize 365 on FB and leave an organizing tip that you'd like to share.  You'll then have to return to this post and leave a comment that you did this (one extra entry).
  • Visit MasonMetu's FB fan page and leave a comment on what you'd like to organize in your life. You'll then have to return to this post and leave a comment that you did this. Easy way to do this is to leave a comment in the Facebook comment box above and then scroll down to the Disqus comment box (one extra entry).

Disclaimer:  I received the Sophisticated File Tote from Organize 365 so that I could review the product and share with my readers.  In turn, they have offered a giveaway for one of our readers.  The opinions in this post are my own. 

March 1, 2012 - Congratulations to Dawn L!