Controlling & Organizing Paper Clutter
Of all the different types of clutter that can clog up a home, paper clutter is probably the most common and is often times the most overwhelming to deal with. It seems like you start with a piece of paper here and there and before you know it your whole house is overrun with stacks of paper that need sorting, filing, or to be recycled.
The key to managing paper clutter is to keep it from getting out of hand in the first place and there are some simple tips you can use to help.
Before you can start keeping your paper clutter under control the first thing you need to do is get a handle on any existing paper that you have lying around your house. Start by gathering everything together all in one place and plan to spend a whole weekend sorting through it (or longer if necessary.)
You’ll need storage for all of your papers, so invest in some sort of filing cabinet and some file folders. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy - a simple filing box will work fine. However, if you do choose a filing cabinet that looks nice you will be more likely to leave it out where it is easy to get to which means you will be more likely to use it.
Today’s filing cabinets are quite stylish and you can usually find one that will fit with just about any decor so if you can afford it, splurge and buy something pretty. If not, then just get whatever you can afford.
Along with a filing cabinet you should buy a couple of boxes for more permanent storage. There are certain documents that you are required to keep for years for tax purposes and it is handy to have boxes to store these in so you can tuck them away and not worry about them until you need them rather than mixing them in with your more recent papers. To find out what items you need to keep for tax purposes and how long you need to keep them visit http://www.irs.gov and download the IRS form on recordkeeping.
Now, back to your giant pile of paper that you need to sort through. Start by sorting everything into piles of similar items. Put bank statements in one pile, bills in piles according to who they are from, tax documents in other piles, etc. Each time you start a new pile create a folder for it for your filing cabinet by writing the name of the item on the tab for the file.
Along with your sorted pile, make a pile for documents, old magazines and junk mail that can go in the recycling bin. Any sensitive documents should be shredded before being put into the recycling bin. Speaking of shredding, investing in an inexpensive paper shredder can also be a great asset when it comes to controlling paper clutter. It will allow you to shred documents like credit card applications or other sensitive documents and make it easier to throw them away without risking identity theft.
After everything is sorted, put it into the appropriate file that you created for it and put all of your files into your filing cabinet. You now should have all of the paper in your house taken care of for the moment.
Now that the existing paper clutter is under control, the key to keeping it this way is to deal with papers the minute they come in. Keep your recycling bin near your mailbox and when you pick up the mail each day put any junk mail or catalogs that you won’t use into the recycling bin. Force yourself to file any other papers or deal with them immediately when they arrive.
Now that your filing cabinet is set up and organized it is just as simple to stick something in a file as it is to lay it on a desk. Make a rule with yourself that you are only allowed to touch a piece of paper once. When you pick it up it either goes in the recycling bin, in the filing cabinet, or you deal with it immediately.
While it may seem overwhelming at first, the more you force yourself to deal with paper immediately the easier it will become and eventually it will just be a habit. To help reduce unwanted paper, ask to be removed from any junk mail mailing lists and contact companies who send you catalogs and ask to have your name removed from their list. You can find most stores online nowadays and can easily browse catalogs that way while keeping the paper clutter under control in your house.
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