Begin a routine for paying bills.
Experts say 21 days to establish a habit is common.

Spend 15 minutes to handle your mail when you get it in the house. Throw away junk mail and open the rest immediately. Mail falls into three main categories: throw away/shred, give away and action. If possible, work near a trash can and paper shredder. If paper belongs to someone else, move it along. Your action items can be sorted into categories such as To Do, Bills to Pay, To Read and To File.

Create a stacking basket system for your action items and label the baskets. Schedule a day to pay bills and file documents once a week.
You can reduce the amount of junk mail that comes into your household by removing your name and address from many mailing lists.

To remove your name from mailing lists that are bought and sold among direct marketing companies, send your request in writing to the following:

Direct Marketing Association
Mail Preference Service
P O Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512-0643
212-768-7277

To remove your name from National Demographics and Lifestyles, a company that collects buyer profiles and sells the information, write to the following:

National Demographics and Lifestyles
List Order Department
1621 18th Street, Ste 300
Denver, CO 80202

To opt out of pre screened credit, call the toll free number at 1-888-567-8688.

Improve Your Filing System
• Keep your filing system simple
• File so you can locate your document when needed
• Save time locating a file by alphabetizing
• Label everything clearly by using a labeling machine or computer generated labels
• File the most recent document in front
• File regularly so paperwork does not build up

Designate a filing space close to you for files you are currently working on. Reference files are needed quite often. They can be kept with working files if space is available. If not, make sure they are accessible. Archival files can be stored in a labeled box or container in a storage closet or another room.

When labeling file folders, place tabs in a straight line so either all are to the right, left or center. Straight line filing makes it easier to find and add files. You can then use a different label location to indicate sub-categories.

Take 15 minutes at the end of each day to put everything away, to maintain an office space that is tidy for the next day.