When I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I was now bored since I'd finished making masks, Margie of Margie's Musings told me that it took her a week to organize her filing cabinet.
Gosh....
I've looked at my filing cabinet a gazillion times dreading and knowing it needed to be cleaned out and organized.
So I opened the first drawer. Stared at it. And closed it. I knew this was not going to be fun.
I didn't open the file drawers for a few days. There were sooo many files. In fact, I'd been running out of file holders and was going to get more to stuff in.
Then I tried digging into the file cabinet again.
Instead of systematically looking from A-Z, I checked out a few files first that had some interesting labels.
Under EXERCISE, I found this article about how sit-ups do not spot reduce visceral (tummy) fat but regular exercise like walking would do a better job of it.
Since I can't do sit-ups, I was glad to hear it since... umm... I do have visceral fat.
Then I found instructions for MAHJONG. We had a Chinese friend in Illinois who taught us the game and we bought a set at a garage sale. However, once that friend left the area, we didn't play it again. And here's the instructions. BUT look how many pages there are. Yikes! OK, I'll keep that file. We might need it in the months to come if we're still in isolation.
I found this in a file labeled as ORIGAMI. These are instructions for one of the best paper airplanes I've ever made. It even had ailerons (flaps on the wing to control lateral balance). I had my first graders make the planes (with a little help) and we'd go outside and fly them to see how they'd perform with the ailerons folded downward and up.
I'm going to have to do this with my grandsons. It used to be so much fun with my granddaughter. I wonder if she remembers doing it.
OK...
I finished one drawer and was able to thin out some of it.
I'm happy to say I now have quite a few free file holders.
I wonder how many more I can get once I get to drawer #2.
Gosh....
I've looked at my filing cabinet a gazillion times dreading and knowing it needed to be cleaned out and organized.
I didn't open the file drawers for a few days. There were sooo many files. In fact, I'd been running out of file holders and was going to get more to stuff in.
Then I tried digging into the file cabinet again.
Instead of systematically looking from A-Z, I checked out a few files first that had some interesting labels.
Under EXERCISE, I found this article about how sit-ups do not spot reduce visceral (tummy) fat but regular exercise like walking would do a better job of it.
Since I can't do sit-ups, I was glad to hear it since... umm... I do have visceral fat.
Then I found instructions for MAHJONG. We had a Chinese friend in Illinois who taught us the game and we bought a set at a garage sale. However, once that friend left the area, we didn't play it again. And here's the instructions. BUT look how many pages there are. Yikes! OK, I'll keep that file. We might need it in the months to come if we're still in isolation.
I found this in a file labeled as ORIGAMI. These are instructions for one of the best paper airplanes I've ever made. It even had ailerons (flaps on the wing to control lateral balance). I had my first graders make the planes (with a little help) and we'd go outside and fly them to see how they'd perform with the ailerons folded downward and up.
I'm going to have to do this with my grandsons. It used to be so much fun with my granddaughter. I wonder if she remembers doing it.
OK...
I finished one drawer and was able to thin out some of it.
I'm happy to say I now have quite a few free file holders.
I wonder how many more I can get once I get to drawer #2.
I've sorted my folders recently too. Under travel I decided I didn't need to keep the directions for our walking tour in the Cotswolds, or the guides we got on the river cruise. Actually I tossed everything in that file. In the years I have had those items and more filed no one has asked to see it, so why keep it. I started to toss my 4th grade list of students but couldn't do it. Not yet even though I've been retired 10 years next month. It felt good to get those drawers a bit emptier.
ReplyDeleteGood work. I'm having trouble finding motivation. I refinished a small table in the past few days. That has been satisfying.
ReplyDeleteI admire your determination but have to say you have neat stuff in your files. Mine could just be dumped unseen into a burn pit.
ReplyDeleteHubby is the main keeper of the file cabinets, and he keeps WAY more than I would :-)
ReplyDeleteGood for you!
ReplyDeleteHey! I am really proud of you, Kay!
ReplyDeleteI know nothing about mahjong but the name. I knew it was complicated, but that is way more than I'm willing to learn! The paper airplane is more my speed. :-)
ReplyDeleteI should do this too, sheesh.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how much paper junk and valuable papers we gathered and they are all mixed together. I have journal for decades of my life, old photos, lesson plans, handouts, etc. I'm starting to go through them and weed out the junk so my sons don't have to do that or my hubby when I'm gone. I think they'll just throw most of it away but I need to look for any keepsakes...
ReplyDeleteThat is good busy work. I went through all of my files two years ago so most of what I have now is old employment records, copies of things I've written, and travel files. Tom, on the other hand, has files everywhere, with all of his genealogy records. He also is in charge of keeping legal papers, insurance coverage, car maintenance, etc.
ReplyDeleteKay you inspired me to take down my big file-box from the bedroom closet; um... your files are a lot more fun than mine :)
ReplyDelete(oh boy I've got about a thousand canceled checks from 1990-2005 in here, I need a shredder!)
The first step in the journey is the hardest one - congratulations on the start! I had 2 file cabinets before and once I began to really tackle them, it got easier and easier to toss out things and then I actually got rid of both file cabinets. Hurray! It freed up floor space. I now use a plastic file box from Office Max for important hanging file folders now and put it on a shelf close to my desk. Freedom is well worth working at! Fighting, Kay!
ReplyDeleteI cleaned out my files when we downsized. Haven't looked at them since ... and maybe never will again!
ReplyDeleteDo you think a law to go through file folders every year would help!
ReplyDeleteVery neat!
ReplyDeleteI always was neat about filing, with annual clean up's.
ReplyDeleteBravo! Mainly I have drawer after drawer of legal documents.
ReplyDeleteGreat job, Kay. Good for you. That is probably a load off your mind. Thanks for sharing the inspiration. Reading your post here, inspired me to "clean-up" my Bookmarks Bar.
ReplyDelete