I frequently get asked if it is important to keep those “space eating” technical manuals and documentation that come with new electronics. You know the ones, various types of documentation that comes with a new computer, printer, digital camera, power saw or sander, food processor, cell or cordless phone, floor fan, new water heater, new lighting fixtures…pick an electronic of your choice.
My first response is a resounding, “YES”! and I then follow up with, “tell me where you keep them”. People often just toss them in a corner of their desk, a box, or the bottom of a filing cabinet. Most people have no clue how many they have, not to mention they can’t find them when they are needed. All in all, technical documentation take up LOTS of space and has the potential to create LOTS of clutter.
For those who do know the location of each of your manuals…I applaud you!
As a family of one you might think I would only have a few manuals…think again! I have 34 in my filing cabinet under the name “ELECTRONICS”. I’ve had that same folder for years and although I removed manuals along the way when I no longer had the electronic item, the folder grew to an unmanageable size. I knew I needed to find a solution because I was running out of space in my filing cabinet. Don’t fall for the TRAP…of buying a BIGGER filing cabinet. I started taking a long hard look at these necessary but rarely used manuals. I quickly found my solution.
Take a few minutes to flip through your manuals (if necessary, gather them up if they are scattered about cluttering up your home) and you’ll notice that many of them contain more than one language. Here’s the deal…unless you speak multiple languages there is NO GOOD REASON to keep any documentation written in a foreign language. Here’s the solution….tear or cut out the foreign language portion and pitch it, then staple together the parts you can read, therefore are keeping. You will be amazed at the amount of space you will be saving.
Now to get organized; if you don’t already have one, consider getting a filing cabinet of some sort (office stores have lots to choose from at reasonable prices), then create an expandable hanging file to house your manuals.
Want to de-clutter and don’t know how to get started? Just ask me via the comment section below. I’ll be glad to help!
Have a physical limitation preventing you from getting things done to stay organized? Stay tuned, some tips to help you forth-coming. In the meantime, have a terrific day!
All content Copyright Barbara Nichols 2011
All About Organizing 