>OK< Organization SPECIFICS!

So, What do I keep in the manila folders ??? ....

Anything you need that is legal, tax, job benefits, work pay stubs, reimbursement amounts, any summons, letter complaining about ( where you are named ) ... letter saying something is paid off, closed account, letter of a payment arrangement, Any credit card, bank statement of which your name is added... even if you never use it. Contracts for services, insurance payments/statements/renewals, Anything that contains your SSN# , you signed or you are legally responsible of/for... Have a current years envelope for each of the categories...

Have a Banking envelope/credit cards, health insurance/care/bills, car stuff/auto insurance, work stuff...Whatever the MAJOR categories sift to be : ) You do not want a lot of envelopes!! Definitely NOT one for each piece of paper!

Letter from friends you may want to keep,pictures, cards, funny emails are in a separate place. Your desk is the serious spot , your desk is NOT for funny stuff. It is the grown up part of the room! A mirror or back of a door or specific wall spot (not the whole room!) can be your "teen space" ! LOL..
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Store any prior years information in a manila labeled 2000-whatever, what is in it.. category or all of that years stuff that survived. Put it away! Use that bankers box or similar, safe, secure box to keep it all together.

Remember, if it is something you might need later, use the clasp now.. do NOT lick it unless its taxes from 3 - 5 years ago.  You will not need these, but must store them for 5 years from the year they were filed. Write a destroy year on them, shred them when the time comes.

Auto insurance stuff, once renewed, toss last years stuff. Shred it if you can.

Health related bills, once they are paid off, save the payoff statement, where it says zero balance, file in that years envelope. It s the only one you need. Shred the ones you do not need, if you can.

Banking statements a year past are not worth much and  can be shredded. Same with Credit Card statements, unless its the last one showing a pay off or closing of account.

If you are responsible for utilities, phone or cable bills, keep that current years statements, shred at the end of the year. Keep any unusual statements from November/December, if all is fine, shred.. They can be replaced easily.