Using Time Wisely

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Personal: Passports

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Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

In organizing the mounds of paperwork you have accumulated over the years, you may need to take a break. This process is a marathon. There are numerous categories, with lots of detail, and being thorough will pay off for years to come.

When I initially worked on organizing our documents, I concentrated on each topic a little at a time. Taking breaks and working on other projects helped to distract me from the enormous task before me. By plugging away, I was able to complete the organization and have saved myself money, energy, and time. I know what I have, where it is located, and can access it quickly. Keep plugging away and take breaks when you need it.

In organizing my accordion file, the fourth file slot houses the second category of Important Personal Documents. In this category, I have our birth certificates, driver’s licenses, and passports. Paul and I have passports, but we have not obtained them for our children.

I have Paul’s passport and copies of the last page paper clipped together. I then have my passport and copies of the last page paper clipped together. Then both sets are paper clipped and housed behind the copies of our driver’s licenses.

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Paul and I obtained our passports before our cruise to Bermuda. We printed and filled out the Passport Application Form, located our birth certificates, and purchased our passport photos at Rite Aid during a sale. We placed these documents in a secure envelope with our payments and mailed them.

We received our accurate passports two days before departure. When we renew these passports, I will be sure to start a minimum of 2 months prior to the date needed. Coming down to the last few days was worrisome to me. I also did not want our passports with our birth certificates sitting in our mailbox or at the post office while we were away.

I felt so relieved when the paperwork arrived. Once I had verified that all the information was correct, we made copies of the last pages of each of our passports. We gave Paul’s parents copies in the event that we lost our passports in Bermuda. We could contact them for our passport numbers which would prove our identity and hopefully, allow us to return home. Thankfully, we did not lose our passports, but we prepared for the worst case scenario.

Our passports are due to expire next year, so I will need to review the renewal process. The process has changed since we first acquired our passports.

I will be visiting the U.S. Postal Service site. The process is explained, and the cost and payment types accepted by the Postal Service and the State Department are listed in a parallel format. If more detailed information is needed, I will search the State Department’s web site. If pictures will be needed, then I will follow these instructions for creating my own passport photographs.

When the new documents arrive, I will verify their accuracy, and then file them in this second category of Important Personal Documents in the fourth file pocket in Box 1 of 3 of my important documents. Next week, I will continue to share another item in this same file slot. In the meantime, take a break if you need it. Your documents will still be around when you return from your time away.

Personal: Marriage License

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Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

The fourth file slot in Box 1 of 3 of our family’s important documents holds our Important Personal Documents. After our birth certificates, driver’s licenses, and passports, I will find our marriage license. I have made 2 – 3 copies which I keep paper clipped to the envelope that holds our original certified license.

When we received our official marriage license, I made about 10 copies. To change my name on my driver’s license, social security card, bank accounts, credit accounts, and insurance policies, I had to supply a copy of our marriage license. Since changing all those accounts almost 13 years ago, I can only recall one other time I was asked for a copy of our marriage license. I sent it to the State Department along with my birth certificate when I applied for my passport.

Though I do not foresee needing a copy of our marriage license in the near future, this important document stays safe in my file for quick retrieval when needed. Having all our documents organized in one place/file system helps to save money (not purchasing additional certified copies), energy (not worrying and racking my brain trying to figure out “where I put that thing”), and time (not sorting through piles searching for a document that “must be here somewhere”).  Taking the time to organize will also help you save money, energy, and time. Keep up the great work!

Personal: Voter’s Registration Cards

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Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

How are you doing with your organization? If you feel that you are being pulled in every direction and cannot get to your document organization at this time, then do what is important and use your time wisely. This category of Important Personal Documents is comprised of many quick-to-file items once you have the documents in your hand. Finding the document may take some time, but you might find a few of these items at once when you get to this project.

Continuing with Box 1 and the fourth file slot in the accordion filing system, I have our Personal Important documents. After our marriage license with copies, I have copies of our voter’s registration cards. Paul and I carry our official cards in our wallets, but I keep copies of the entire form/card that is mailed to us. The card has limited information whereas the form specifies our Congressional district, Senate, House, County Council, and Water Shed numbers.

I have referred to the full form when I hear of an election coming to one or more districts in our area. To find our district numbers, I open up Box 1, go to the fourth file slot, and get our voter registration copies. I can then find our district numbers and determine if I need to arrange my schedule to go vote.

The copies will be handy if our wallets are stolen or if our cards become illegible. If I need to obtain another card, I can quickly find our local office address and can supply the registration number for quick replacement.

Keeping the Voter’s Registration copies together with your other personal documents will help you access that information. Spend time getting organized. In the long run, you will save yourself money, energy, and time. Next week, I will group together the rest of the items I have in this file slot. Happy organizing!

Personal: Other Certificates

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Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

As we complete the fourth file slot in our first accordion-style filing system, I hope you are getting energized. Organizing your personal documents will save you money, energy, and time when accessing those documents.

In this fourth slot, I have our birth certificates, driver’s licenses, passports, marriage license, voter’s registration cards, and our other certifications: child abuse history clearance and CPR cards and copies.

CHILD ABUSE HISTORY CLEARANCE: When Paul and I lived in Pennsylvania, Paul taught elementary through high school, and I occasionally substitute taught. As part of the school’s requirements for each teacher and substitute teacher, we filled out paperwork to obtain our clearance to teach. When we received our official clearance, I kept the originals and have placed them in this file.

HEARTSAVER CPR: During our first pregnancy, Paul and I took advantage of all the prenatal classes offered through the hospital systems in our area. The CPR class resulted in our certifications. Even though these certifications are now expired, I still keep our certification documents for the date we decide to renew.  In additional to the certification cards, I keep a copy of the cards in this file. When we renew, I will have copies of our prior certification to submit with our registration.

This concludes the items I have in the fourth file slot under the second category of Personal Important Documents. If you have completed organizing these documents, then celebrate! You are doing a great job getting these piles of paperwork sorted and organized for easy retrieval later. Next week, I’ll reveal what is housed in the fifth file slot under the Personal Important Documents category. Congratulations on staying organized!

Personal: Spouse’s Documents

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Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

How is your document organization going? Are you getting energized or overwhelmed? Hopefully, the step-by-step explanations of each category, file, and item is a help to you as you use your time wisely and get organized.

Last week, I completed the fourth file slot housing some of our personal documents in Box 1 of the filing system. Today, let’s progress to the fifth file slot in the accordion folder. In this slot, I have placed the following personal documents pertaining to my husband:

  1. Computer certifications. All Paul’s computer certification documents with scores, certificates, and contact information are organized by the date completed. When he needs his identification numbers for work, program upgrades, etc., I can easily access the information since I have all the paperwork filed together.
  2. Transcripts. Copies of his undergraduate and graduate transcripts are housed in this file. Since most employers do not require transcripts, I have not obtained certified copies or his high school transcript. If I hear that one of the schools is closing or if he needs certified copies, then I will contact the appropriate school and pay for the transcripts.
  3. Letters of Recommendation. When Paul was job searching and interviewing, he included letters of recommendation with his resume. The remaining copies of those letters are housed in this file, just in case he needs them.

When Paul obtains other rewards, recommendations, or certifications, I will add those documents to this fifth file slot. Currently, this file is complete.

Next week, I will continue the personal documents category and share the contents of my sixth file slot. In the meantime, keep energized and happy organizing!