by Simon 40 Replies latest jw friends
I've just been sorting out various paperwork and going through the filing cabinet. As well as every pay advice I've ever had (20+ years worth back to '83) I also have every bank statement, every cheque stub and, erm ... a big wad of ATM receipts going back at least 10 years !
I just can't stand to throw things away for fear that I may need them one day!!
Someone please tell me that I'm not the only person who does this ...
LOL Simon....have to say it sounds like you are a packrat! Can't say that I hang on to those kinds of things and if I do, it is rarely for 20 yrs! Just please don't let us see you on something like "Clean Sweep" show where they go in and totally regut a house to orgainize it and put it back together! hehe http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/cleansweep/cleansweep.html
I had the same problem, Simon. Questioning the habit is the first step to recovery. One day, I just let myself throw things like that away and nothing bad came of it. It's still a struggle, though. My personal battle is with technical doo-dads. Bolts, screws, leftover bits of speaker wire, old bicycle parts, etc. I always feel as if I'm going to need this junk to fix something someday. That day rarely comes, however, and it's just not worth the clutter. The same probably applies to paperwork. I keep receipts for major purchases, but I've never had to dig one up except to return something. Here in America, most major purchases are entered into a computer, so a hard copy of the receipt usually is not even needed. Good luck.
I do the same, tis apparently common with the British, goes back to our parents and the war rationing and food ration days, when everything was hoarded, in case it came in useful one day. Though if you got any old blank signed cheques, send em down my way, or if you've got a Ford Escort diesel van in the attic, send that instead!!
I do it, always have done. Once it turned out that the telephone company had been overcharging everybody for months, since some new regulations had come into effect. I was able to produce my bills for the last year and get a couple hundred dollars back. So now I never feel wierd about it anymore.
My files are full too. I've got to go through it and throw away some of the old stuff that I will never need, if I can determine what I will never need.
Ken P.
Simon the ATM slips have got to go - immediately. When you get a new one shred immediately.
Here in Canada tax receipts etc need to be kept for 7 years. Older than that shred them and toss out.
If something really has to be kept scan and burn on a cd.
Simon you really cannot bring all that stuff to Canada to start reducing today
and I've been working on this too and now have it down to one small box instead of a 3-drawer legal size lateral file cabinet plus 5 boxes
My personal battle is with technical doo-dads. Bolts, screws, leftover bits of speaker wire, old bicycle parts, etc. I always feel as if I'm going to need this junk to fix something someday
Ooh, erm ... um ... yes, I do that as well !
The annoying thing is that you can have something for 10 or 15 years and you can guarantee that the week after you throw it away you will have a need for it and won't be able to get one anywhere
(That's my excuse)
I've only recently got rid of some *very* old computer bits ... y'know, 25Mhz 486 CPUs
Okay,I do have to admit I do hoard stuff that the kids made when they were younger. I think I have every paper that Andrea and James brought home the first few years of school. I can't bring myself to toss anything away because it meant so much to them to bring them home to me! When they grow up and move away, they get it all! Watch, they will pitch it w/out even thinking twice! LOL
I've only recently got rid of some *very* old computer bits ... y'know, 25Mhz 486 CPUs
Ummm ... you don't by any chance need any old 286 parts, or perhaps a gently used dot matrix printer, do you? I was looking in my basement the other day, and ...
