Triage Life Series: Part 1 – Where to Start

Cancer comes with a never-ending influx of health records, medical bills, lengthy emails, and important documents that over time can get difficult to keep track of, especially on top of daily clutter. So, here are some organizing tips for a little peace of mind:

  1. Keep it together

If you leave things scattered, there’s a high chance you’re going to lose something important. Create a work space – a desk, computer, or basket – dedicated to keeping paperwork tidy and safe. Maybe start with an inbox, where you can put your mail or papers that are waiting to be filed or organized. You could even have one for things related to your health care and one for everything else.

  1. Be colorful

Adding different color-coded files or tabs can make your space not only, more aesthetically pleasing, but also make it easier to find what you need.

  1. Try a storage rack, file box, or tray organizers.

Clear off a cluttered pile by mounting a storage rack. With this, you can separate the bills from the medical records from everything else in neat, separate stacks.

  1. Organization takes time

Just like it took some time for the clutter to appear, it’s going to take some time to declutter. Set aside time (maybe 20 minutes, depending on your clutter) each week to go through everything.

  1. Streamline your wallet

Do you collect store rewards cards?  If yes, you can go digital. Download the CardStar app (free, cardstar.com), then take a photo of the barcode on each card, or type in the number, then toss the hard copy. The store can scan the bar code on your phone at checkout.

  1. Get rid of junk mail

Nobody likes junk mail because it is, well, junk. So, cancel it by downloading the PaperKarma app ($2/mo, paperkarma.com). Then, take a picture of each unwanted piece of mail with your address showing, click send, and just like that, you will be unsubscribed from each of those mailing lists.

For a more extensive guide on how to stay organized, you can watch the recording of our webinar, Drowning in Documents!

Similar Posts You May Like To Read:

Triage Cancer
info@triagecancer.org