Since starting the Chica & Jo blog I like to call all of the random pieces of paper lying around my house “competitive research”. Yep, that’s right, justifiable mess. But then again, aren’t all messes justified to some degree? My husband doesn’t seem to agree with my lack of filing system and I do have to admit, I am a little embarrassed to be the Jo of Chica & Jo and not have a better handle on my paper organization. So, it’s been in the back of my head for awhile now to do something about it but I had done nothing until today.

Often, my inspiration for organization comes from shopping. I am a certified shop-a-holic (another thing my husband tolerates) and was browsing my favorite local bookstore when I stumbled right on a bit of inspiration. I am a complete sucker for all things cute and this file tote by Galison was definitely cute. It had a nice stripe pattern on it and closed with a cute elastic band on the top. I started to have organization fantasies right there in the bookstore and I knew it had to come home with me.

Armed with my adorable file tote, I came home and gathered up all of those pesky papers stacked here, there and everywhere. Let me tell you, that took a bit of doing and I am certain I am still missing some of them. I had my adorable folder and I had my stack of papers but wait…the hard part…categories…I couldn’t just stuff everything into the folders and ever hope to find anything again without removing them all. Although this is still slightly better than my current system of clippings just lying around everywhere, it wasn’t what I quite had in mind. I perused through some of the articles looking for themes to what I clip and I came up with the following list:

• Travel: I love to plan trips and I love clipping articles about where to go, what to pack, local customs
• Recipes: Chica is going to laugh when she hears I clip recipes. I am not a huge fan of cooking but clip recipes thinking that one day, sometime in the distant future, I might just make something in the kitchen! Maybe I will even cook for Chica’s birthday…
• Organization tips: What an appropriate category for my new organization folder
• Decorating inspiration: Yet another thing that annoys my husband, it’s amazing he hasn’t fled the house by now. I love to decorate and redecorate things or just talk about doing it one day. He cringes every time I get that look in my eyes that means I want to paint something.
• Craft projects: New crafts I would like to try one day or tips for crafts I already do. This category will include scrapbooking ideas as well.
• Products to try/Gift ideas: Remember my shop-a-holic problem? Well, I at least do a bit of research before buying…sometimes
• Entertaining ideas: Chica and I love to host parties and are always looking for new ideas to try.

I will let you know how this new system works out for me. I will also update my category list as time passes but I am sure your list will be different in a lot of respects due to what you like to clip from your various printed sources. I also like to print instructions, pictures, etc. from the internet to file away for later use. I know, the hardcore computer geeks are cringing after reading that one but I can’t help it. Sometimes, I have to have the paper in my hands.

Chica suggested that some people might find a smaller accordion organizer a little easier to use. It’s size allows you to easily take it with you and will take up less room.

For traveling, I love this small accordion organizer by the same company that made the file tote I am using. It will be great to store my traveling business or personal receipts, confirmation numbers, pieces of memorabilia that I want to bring home to scrapbook and it could keep foreign currencies separated. I am going to add that to my “Products to try” folder section.