In my 25+ years of experience as a legal secretary I saw a lot of paper. . Guess what? Now that I work as a Professional Organizer I know that attorneys are NOT alone – all my clients have problems with paper.
My guess is that all the paper I’ve handled in all the various firms I’ve worked for would be enough to extend Battery Park – but perhaps I’m overstating the case. I’ve also come to believe that paper left unattended too long tends to procreate.
In any event, there are several things I’ve noticed when working with attorneys and I’ve come up with a few minor tweaks that you can incorporate your routine for handling paper that might bring some instant order:
TIP #1 Have all personal mail sent home – not to the office. This includes bills, subscriptions that are not work-related (and that you can’t deduct off your taxes) and catalogs. A lot of incoming personal mail is marketing related and generated by making online purchases from work – and then using your work address as a shipping address. Billing, subscriptions and other catalogs that are work-related should be immediately separate from any in-house work-related paper. Here’s a GREAT little video and extensive list of organizations to cut down the junk mail (the soundtrack is a little kitschy but the list is really useful).
Stay tuned for more tips!
In addition to being AABANY’s Administrative Assistant, Margaret Langston is a Professional Organizer. Her business, BEAUTIFUL CORNER, offers full organization services for the home or small business. BEAUTIFUL CORNER’s goal is help simplify the lives of its clients so that they may achieve optimum organization and full productivity at home and at work. BEAUTIFUL CORNER offers onsite and virtual service. For more information go to www.beautifulcorner.com.
