Ok - I Have Spent the Last 2 Hours Working on My Office.i Have

[dannyzmom]

OK - I have spent the last 2 hours working on my office.

I have created 4 bags of trash (DH wants to kill me cause trash pickup isn;t til Tuesday)

I have a HUGE box of maternity clothing in here - I just offered it up on Freecycle - hopefully someone will snatch it up ASAP otherwise I am bringing it to a shelter on Sunday.

I moved 9 reams of paper out of the closet to the shelves in teh back of the room and reorganized all my binders (my RFS, my Leadership handbook, my recruiting binder and my binder that holds every CN I have ever received.

I have looked thoughtfully at my 3 years worth of show receipts - each filed neatly by show. My ED has been on my case for years to toss them all because I have all that info on PP...but I can't bear to do it yet. Someone talk me thru it!!!

My desk still looks frightening - but I am thinking once I get the closet tackled and DH gets the shelves put up, I will be able to reorganize and have more places for my stuff.

I need a place for invitation postcards - I have zillions...how do you all store yours?

 

[Jilleysue]

Just ask yourself about the receipts Carolyn...have you ever looked them? Have they ever been of use to you soooo much that have saved you any money that you couldn't look up on the computer or call the HO? If you can answer no.....TOSSSSSSSS EM.....

I am soooo proud of you though..man, you may not even need me...maybe just for one short evening of fine tuning......THIS IS GREAT!!!

 

[chefkristin]

OK - I have spent the last 2 hours working on my office.

I have created 4 bags of trash (DH wants to kill me cause trash pickup isn;t til Tuesday)

I have a HUGE box of maternity clothing in here - I just offered it up on Freecycle - hopefully someone will snatch it up ASAP otherwise I am bringing it to a shelter on Sunday.

I moved 9 reams of paper out of the closet to the shelves in teh back of the room and reorganized all my binders (my RFS, my Leadership handbook, my recruiting binder and my binder that holds every CN I have ever received.

I have looked thoughtfully at my 3 years worth of show receipts - each filed neatly by show. My ED has been on my case for years to toss them all because I have all that info on PP...but I can't bear to do it yet. Someone talk me thru it!!!

My desk still looks frightening - but I am thinking once I get the closet tackled and DH gets the shelves put up, I will be able to reorganize and have more places for my stuff.

I need a place for invitation postcards - I have zillions...how do you all store yours?

Carolyn- Is this the first time you have looked at those receipts since the original shows? I would say keep 6 months back and chuck the rest! I know you can do it. I want to see after pictures of your office!

 

[Jilleysue]

Yes..just in like in my all my compliance training. Set an amount of time, you will keep whether it is 6 months, 8 months a year...keep that rule and throw the rest out.

 

[chefkristin]

I really want to see after pictures!!! LOL!!!

 

[cmdtrgd]

Carolyn - burn a back-up of PP and keep it somewhere safe with today's date. Throw out all the back receipts you want to!

 

[DebbieJ]

Wow, Carolyn! You are doing it!

Go Carolyn!

 

[pcheframsey]

Try using a index card file box to store the invitations in. If you have different invitations/postcards, file them in different colored file boxes. Good luck organizing everything. I'm starting from scratch myself since we just moved into a new house over the holidays. This should be fun!

 

[pamperedbecky]

Way to go, Carolyn!! You're an inspiration!!

 

[fruit76loop]

I'm savin em too!!I haven't thrown any of my receipts away either. They do not take up that much room, 1 file box for each year. I was told by my accountant to save everything for 7 years, then you can shread them. I did have my computer crash about 3 years ago and found out my backup was corrupted...so I have about 20 shows or so that I have nothing on! Guess that scared me into keeping those receipts.

I do go back through receipts when I am struggling for bookings, as sometimes I forget to follow through with a maybe marked on a receipt. But this is just me.

If you have thrown that much stuff away...then do what makes you happy. If you want to save the receipts then so be it! I save my receipts and my tax receipts and that is it. I have streamlined everything else. So what if my security blankey for PC is my receipts!

I am excited to get my built in desk done! We will start doing it in March...can't wait! Then I will have one of those offices I am proud to bring a host into, instead of warning them about the mess!!

 

[Jilleysue]

20 Shows is not bad..but some consultants do much more than that and it just gets simply out of control. Expense receipts are one thing, Host receipts are another. Set a routine for yourself and follow it. You do not need to keep everything..this is how things get crazy. If you keep everything organized in big boxes ( and I do say organized) by year ..then ok, and IF ( and I say IF) you have a limited amount of shows, but if you do this full time and the amount of paper work is crazy, get it electronic, back it up and get organized. It's 2007...really it is how everyone is doing it. Large companies are not keeping boxes and boxes every where. We need to follow that. r

Having done Compliance for the last 7 years, I have fought with people to get rid of stuff and what to get rid of..It amazes me what people want to keep.

 

[Jennie4PC]

Jill I think Marlene was saying she lost 20 shows due to her comp crashing I know she has done more then 20 shows since she has earned leel 3 trips the last few yrs

 

[gilliandanielle]

I know you should keep tax stuff for 7 years, but show reciepts?? Pitch 'em!! You will feel so much better and I am sure the Jill can help you back them up if you are worried! I save my show reciepts for 1 year, the toss them. It still doesn't affect the amount of crap I have in my "office" though!!

Jill- I am totally guilty of the I'll-use-this-someday syndrome!! Yeah- maybe I would use it if I could find it, LOL!!

 

[Jilleysue]

Oh Please...no taking wrong way..of course..not meant directly towards anyone...just generally speaking...Yes Gillian..exactly....tax stuff for 7 years....Show receipts ( and yes I sure many have done more than 20 shows) Of Course Of course...very generally speaking.... As I stated, pick an amount of time you feel comfortable, I feel 6 months is great. Keep 6 months, purge the rest. There is no need to keep any more than that. I promise you once you see that stuff gone, you will say, "Why did I ever keep that?

Even as organized as I am...I do at times say..Oh I may use that...and I have to slap myself and say...JILLLLLLLLLL..stop it...LOL

 

[Jennie4PC]

me and my dh had that same conversation last night about reciepts he said his work keeps some records for 6 months so he sad it would be fine to throw them away after 6 months
Jill I didnt mean to sound like a brat on my last post if I did I am sorry

 

[Jilleysue]

OH NO NO NO ...NO worries....You didn't at all, emails and thread are difficult, wanted to make sure I didn't.....(SMILING)

What in the hell does DH mean??? (BLONDE SINKING IN)
HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA)

 

[dannyzmom]

Try using a index card file box to store the invitations in. If you have different invitations/postcards, file them in different colored file boxes. Good luck organizing everything. I'm starting from scratch myself since we just moved into a new house over the holidays. This should be fun!

They won't fit in an index card box...oh, unless I get a bigger one...but then I'd need a RELLY big one. I keep about 50 packs at a atime.
Speaking of index card box I gotta tell ya s'thing I learned from a fellow consultant at National Conference last summer...I got a small index card box with dividers for each month. When I get guests who say "I'd like to host a show but not right now, call me in the spring" I file their card under March to call them then. So far it is working nicely!!

 

[dannyzmom]

OH NO NO NO ...NO worries....You didn't at all, emails and thread are difficult, wanted to make sure I didn't.....(SMILING)

What in the hell does DH mean??? (BLONDE SINKING IN)
HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA)

DH stands for Dear Husband (or D*ckHead depending on the day - LOL)
DS = dear son
DD = dear daughter
SS = stepson/SD = stepdaughter
MIL/FIL/BIL/SIL = mother/father etc in-law

 

[lacychef]

Go Carolyn! Soon you'll be the super-organized one, & we'll be coming to you for cleaning advise
And, I am now also motivated to go pitch some of my old receipts too.....makes sense if you've got PP backed up to throw them away...

 

[nicki25]

My computer also crashed and I lost about 50 shows. I have reciepts from2000 when I started my business and I have never thrown any of them away. If I think about it 5 years is the longest that there is a warranty for a product (except a lifetime) and then no one may need a reciept after 5 years because if that product needs replaced then the warranty is gone.
Maybe, I should take the advice on here about getting rid of them after 6 months.

 

[dannyzmom]

Go Carolyn! Soon you'll be the super-organized one, & we'll be coming to you for cleaning advise
And, I am now also motivated to go pitch some of my old receipts too.....makes sense if you've got PP backed up to throw them away...

Wouldn't that be nice?!?!?
I just don't know if I can bring myself to toss the old receipts. Thus far I have been moving the older ones to our file cabinet in the other room...keeping the last 6-8mo in this cabinet...

 

[pamperedlinda]

Wow...Carolyn I am so proud of you!!! I can not wait to see the 'after' pictures. You go girl!

Postcard Invites - I keep mine in a shoe box on one of my shelves - the ones in front are ready to go (I put my stamp on them ahead of time with my web address - and the others are behind them). Since you have so many, I'd keep as many out as you need to have handy and then when your DH gets the shelves built in your closet you can store the rest in there.

 

[dannyzmom]

Wow...Carolyn I am so proud of you!!! I can not wait to see the 'after' pictures. You go girl!

Postcard Invites - I keep mine in a shoe box on one of my shelves - the ones in front are ready to go (I put my stamp on them ahead of time with my web address - and the others are behind them). Since you have so many, I'd keep as many out as you need to have handy and then when your DH gets the shelves built in your closet you can store the rest in there.

Getting the shelves up will make all the difference in the world. It is a wide (not deep) closet and I am going to have him run shelves all the way across except the last 12" - I am going to leave that for hanging things.

 

[Jilleysue]

Getting the shelves up will make all the difference in the world. It is a wide (not deep) closet and I am going to have him run shelves all the way across except the last 12" - I am going to leave that for hanging things.

That will be great...Um, I am thinking Tuesday to help. I just gotta check with Kevin's partner to make sure.... I'll go in early and leave early...like 3 or 4 or something so I can come over....
You sound like you are on a roll by yourself...but I'll help anyway I can..atleast we can laugh...LOL

Tentative Tuesday...if not than Wednesday..one of those..I just need to see which one...

 

[dannyzmom]

That will be great...Um, I am thinking Tuesday to help. I just gotta check with Kevin's partner to make sure.... I'll go in early and leave early...like 3 or 4 or something so I can come over....
You sound like you are on a roll by yourself...but I'll help anyway I can..atleast we can laugh...LOL

Tentative Tuesday...if not than Wednesday..one of those..I just need to see which one...

Just found out DH invited his family over for dinner on Tuesday which means the house has to be neat - wanna try for Wednesday?

 

[gilliandanielle]

When do we get progress pics??

 

[dannyzmom]

When do we get progress pics??

Tonight or tomorrow.
I never sent the before pic of the closet...or the files...only the desk - and that has NO improvement ... YET LOL

 

[Paige Dixon]

I say pitch the receipts as soon as you do CCC's for the show! But pitch all the ones that you'll never catch up with for CCC's and start anew with 2007!

Why do you have so many invitations? Take them to your meeting and sell them to other consultants who need some.

 

[dannyzmom]

I say pitch the receipts as soon as you do CCC's for the show! But pitch all the ones that you'll never catch up with for CCC's and start anew with 2007!

Why do you have so many invitations? Take them to your meeting and sell them to other consultants who need some.

Because I obsessively hoard things I like or need...as if some day I am going to wake up & they will no longer be available. I have more postcard invites than the freakin postcard invite factory. I send out the invites for my hostesses and God forbid someday I get a guest list and <gasp!> don't have enough postcards <thump thump thump...> (that's my heart pounding w/anxiety)...get it?
LOL LOL
I really am nuts.

 

[gilliandanielle]

Looking into professional help couldn't hurt Carolyn...LMAO!!