Shredding

I file all of the household papers, and for the last six months to a year or so I've been putting off the task of cleaning out the filing cabinets, having done it about a year ago and the things are STILL stuffed with paper.

Paper we don't necessarily need.

So, today, Brian and I journeyed to Office Depot and bought a little $9.99 shredder.

I've found some interesting things today in those files. I've discarded (to the toothed shredding machine I have not yet named) any old bills that have my maiden name on them (seeing as I've been married close to 4 1/2 years, y'know) - things like that. All the ancient bank statements and pay stubs - things you don't want to THROW away because they're just too personal.

I find this extremely liberating - like - perhaps there's something symbolic about this, some quasi-renewal, a purge of things unnecessary. A silly sort of catharsis. I'm working on filling up my third trash bag of colorful (though mostly white) recyclable material. Wahoo! No more filing dread, and perhaps I can organize my life a bit. I predict I'll have five bags full before I'm done.

hln

Posted by hln at September 13, 2003 10:31 PM | Anecdote | TrackBack