Get Out From Under Those Piles Of Paper (NAPSA)—“‘Piles are just clutter in disguise.” That’s the credo of one of the most highly regarded homeand small-office consultants, Jeff Zbar, and what he meansby that is easyfor all of us to relate to: While “piling”—stacking moundsof papers, even neatly, on top of other mounds of papers—may seem like the fastest wayto go, in the endit actually makes things harderto find and organizing ae \y moredifficult. “Piling is no way to run a home or business,” says Zbar of ChiefHomeOfficer.com. If clutter is messing up yourlife, you're not alone. A recent survey found more than 84 percent of Americansare pilers rather than filers. Fortunately, developing what Zbar calls “a system that fits your workandlifestyle” isn’t that hard. Here’s how to deal with clutter: Chances are bills make up most of your mail. To keep bills manageable, immediately discard the outer envelope and store the bill and mailing envelope in a small file. Keep all bill-paying items in one spot—invoices, checkbook, stamps, mailing envelopes, even a calculator. When you sit down to pay, you won’t waste time gathering materials and searching for paperwork. A check-size expandable file with 12 pockets is a good way to group bills by month and provides a convenientplace to store receipts and stubs. For coupons, there’s a magnetic wirebound pad that comes with an outer pouch for coupons and hangsneatly on the refrigerator. Super Smart Shopper, by Mead,“is the perfect way to keep coupons right where you need them—with the shopping list,” suggests Zbar. File tax-related documents A few key, inexpensive organizational tools can help any “piler” becomea “filer.” year round. Then youcanfile earlier, with less stress and possibly reap an early refund. A versatile filer that can sit upright on the desktop, yet be closed up and taken to the accountant, is the new Mead Convert-A-File™. Available in 13 or 21 pockets with customizable tabs, it provides plenty of space to store bank statements, medical expenses, receipts for travel and charitable donations. “Placing several small, inexpensive notebooks in the home, automobile, purse and briefcase makes note-taking a breeze,” says Zbar, adding that designs can vary to suit personal tastes—making note-taking fun and functional. When documents go between home and office, they run the risk of getting lost or crumpled. Consider a Hang & Gofile from Mead Expandables, advises Zbar. “The expandable poly storage carrier comes with three letter-sized poly hanging folders that can go directly from the file cabinet to the briefcase.” All of these products are available from Mead Home and Office and Cambridge. For more information, go to www.mead.com.
