Categories, Fun, and Progress

Another month without an update has gone by! But that doesn't mean no progress. Despite taking a week-long vacation earlier this month, I am nearly through all of the "loose" pages I started working on this summer.

The box, piles from the armoire, and the closet, are done. I want to say "gone", but with my sorting system, it's not really gone. A LOT did go into the circular file, at least.

My ultimate goal, at the end of all this, is to have at least what I'm still working through or on, to be separated and organized, rather than piles here, piles there, no organization.

My system is this:

1. To Scan-pages I want to scan/keep for any reason. Right now, there is just one not-quite-full crate of these. My plan once I start on the intact magazines is to scan as I go along with those - don't want to risk getting a crapload of NEW piles sitting around! So this crate may be the very last one I scan. Probably in 2011.

2. To Read-things I am interested in reading, but don't feel the need to scan/keep afterwards. I intend to always carry a file of this and keep another file for before-sleep reading as well. The least important stuff also - could be tossed if absolutely necessary.

3. To Keep (Pictures)- ads, graphics, visual things I want to keep, but not scan

4. To Keep (Reference)- things like tear-out guides, posters, things meant to "tear and save". May scan at some point, may not.

5. Two-Sided/Lists - pages that have info on both sides -- I'm just not dealing with typing/copying/cutting right now. They go in this file to be dealt with later. Lists, that I might want to type up or review, also in this pile.

6. Food/Recipes- self-explanatory. Will be gone through, sorted, scanned, categorized separately

So, where I stand right now:

1. Finishing last of wooden crate pulled from armoire. This will be done in the next day or so.
2. Will do two wooden crates in office (where tv is sitting). I believe this is "raw" piles that I tore out last winter or summer, and when I decided I needed to get these No Scan piles taken care of, I swapped out No Scans for these.
3. I was going to leave the above along, since they are stored and hidden, but then realized they are the last piles in the office. There may be some loose pages in crates over in the spare room, but one thing at a time.
4. After that's done, I start on the intact magazines. Most recent first - that working backward thing is the best trick I ever read for "catching up" on anything. I originally read it in relation to scrapbooking photographs - you should start with your most recent, or else you will NEVER catch up. Makes total sense, it's so obvious. Yet many people start from the oldest and try to go forward. Does not work with anything you continue to add on to.

It doesn't look like it sometimes, but progress is happening!