Rip it up

I love magazines. I buy and read a lot of them. There was a time when, after reading them, I would carefully store them in date order so I could refer to them later.

However, a few years ago, I realised that Google was replacing my magazines as a major form of reference. So I applied my Getting Organised #1 principles, and bagged and dated a stack of them. Sure enough, I didn't miss them. In fact, I realised that once a magazine had been read, I hardly EVER picked it up again.

More than that (and this may well be an age thing), the following scenario became more common. I'd read a magazine. I would see an article I wanted to show someone else or refer to later. Or a review of a CD I wanted to buy. I'd finish reading the magazine, and promptly forget about them. Later in the day/week something would jog my memory, by which point I had completely forgotten where the article/review was.

So I have started doing something that goes against my upbringing. When I come across an article/review that I want to refer to later, I check the other side of the page to make sure there isn't something even more important on it, and then (gulp... sorry mum) tear the relevant section out.

At the end of reading the article I have a number of sheets that (like the cards I carry around with me) act as a visual reminder to act on them. When acted on, they can be consigned to the recycling bin.

When the next issue of the magazine arrives, the gutted version is consigned to toilet reading, and then the recycling bin.

Two final thoughts:

1. It is probably best to avoid doing this when impressionable 'young'uns' are around.

2. Once this becomes a habit, cultivate a mental check that the magazine you're about to gut belongs to you.
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