Organize Your Magazine and Newspapers

Welcome to another Thursday post about organizing! How has it been going for you so far? I have really enjoyed this journey and get excited when I hear feedback from you. So keep it coming!

If you are just joining us, we have been getting organized using Jennifer Ford Berry's Organize Now book.
 
It has some great info and tips on organizing various parts of our life and home. You can see past posts here:

Week 1 about Organizing Your Mind and Life Vision HERE,

Week 2 about Organizing Your Priorities HERE,

Week 3 about Organizing Your Schedule HERE

Week 4 about Organizing Your Cleaning Schedule HERE.

Week 5 about Organizing Your Personal Information HERE. 

Week 6 about Organizing Your Finances HERE. 

      Week 7 about Organizing Your Bill-paying System HERE.

        Week 8 about Organizing Your Receipts and Taxes HERE. 

Week 9 about Organizing Your Files HERE

This week we are talking about organizing magazines and newspapers.

This used to be so overwhelming to me. I had a few baby and parenting subscriptions when my first son was born. I loved the info but never felt like I had the time to really read much of it. So the magazines started piling up and I started feeling guilty for not reading them. They continued to pile up and my guilt continued to grow. Mostly because I knew we had paid for the subscription that I wasn't reading! Can you relate? I finally got so tired of it that I got rid of most of them! I kept the most recent 2 or 3 and then made a point of actually reading them! It was so freeing to get rid of these magazines. I currently do not have any magazine or newspaper subscriptions and it is a great thing. Once in awhile we get one in the mail, as a way for the magazine to get us to buy again. Sometimes I will look through it but most of the time I put it straight to the recycle bin or give it to a friend who wants it. My time is so valuable and I really just don't have the time to read magazines anymore!

So if you have piles of old magazines or newspapers that you are not reading and that is bogging you down, get rid of them!!! You will be so glad you did! And don't renew the subscription if you are not reading and enjoying it anymore. No matter how good of an offer they make you. It is much better to buy a single copy once in awhile when it interests you and you know you will read it.

This Week's Goals:

1. Get rid of magazines that are over a year old and newspapers that are more then a month old. 

I actually prefer to get rid of magazines that are more then a few months old and I won't keep a newspaper after it's a week old. We used to get newspaper subscriptions but they continually piled up and we weren't reading much of them. Now I just buy the Sunday paper when I am at the grocery store. (mostly for the coupons!) It keeps from having piles of paper in our recycle bin too. (and saves us money!)

2. Cut out or tear out (to save time) things you want to save from magazines and then recycle the rest.

Put these clippings in an accordion folder and have it in your car when you wait for an oil change, wait for your hair dresser, etc. Toss them when you are done.

3. Cancel subscriptions that you never read! Save yourself the guilt of not reading and the money too!

Tips 

Only read the most important or interesting parts in a magazine or newspaper.

Don't feel guilty getting rid of a magazine that you haven't read. You will feel so good when you free the space in your home and in your mind!

Donate your old magazines to hospitals, hair salons, nursing homes, etc. Take off your address label before you do.

Check out magazines and newspapers at the library or get an online subscription.

For more tips on organizing your magazines or newspapers, please read Organize Now.

Thanks again for reading! I hope it was helpful to you. Please feel free to share your tips. Do you have a friend who needs to see this post because they are one magazine subscription away from an episode of Hoarders? Feel free to pass it on! :)

Next week we will organize our e-mail and social media! Can't wait!

Have a great day!

Rebecca