Paper clutter is one of the most intimidating decluttering projects, but I’m sharing my best tips and tricks to help you tame the paper clutter for good! 

This is our reality:

• The National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals reports the average American receives almost 15,000 pieces of junk mail in their lifetime. How much of that is on your kitchen counter right now?
• Harris Interactive reports 23 percent of adults say they pay bills late (and incur fees) because they lose them.
• Agency Sales Magazine reports that we never use or look at 80% of the papers and information we keep.

All this information shows we are holding onto too much paper that we really don’t need to!

But it can be overwhelming figuring out how to reduce your paper intake. So we’re going to lay it all out for you in this blog post and video below. 

Step 1: Reduce the Paper Coming In

The less paper you bring into your home, the less you have to deal with later.

Switch bills to electronic. Start with one bill a month until everything is digital. Set up autopay and email reminders to stay on track.

Unsubscribe from junk mail and unwanted catalogs. Call the company or use the “unsubscribe” number on the back. This doesn’t work 100% of the time, but every little bit helps.

Return mail that’s not yours. Cross out the barcode, write “return to sender,” and pop it back in the mailbox. If you have a regular mail carrier, let them know.

Streamline charity mail. Choose a few favorite charities to donate to and ask them to contact you by email instead of sending paper mailers.

Step 2: Go Digital When Possible

Digital systems save space and time—especially at tax season.

Use your digital calendar for due dates, color-coded by category (bills, appointments, school).

Set up email folders for bills, receipts, and important documents.

Pay bills as soon as you receive them, then move them to a “Paid” folder.

Step 3: Create a Paper Command Center

A command center keeps important, short-term papers in one place—no more counter clutter.

Recycle/Reuse – Use as wrapping paper or donate for craft projects.

For kids’ school papers: Keep calendars, permission slips, and notices in a central folder or wall organizer. Remove papers as soon as events are over.

For kids’ artwork: Designate a hanging file for each child with three sections:

Keep – Goes into a memory box later.

Photograph – Turn into books with ArtKive or ChatBooks, or create wall art on Minted.

Step 4: Handle Mail Immediately

Once you’ve reduced paper coming in, it’s time to keep it from piling up again.

Use a magazine holder or tray for your “To Do” pile—and check it daily or weekly.

Open mail near the recycling bin. Toss junk immediately.

Sort the rest into “To Do” and “To File” piles.

Step 5: Store Only What You Truly Need

Not every paper needs a filing cabinet. Use storage solutions that make sense for you.

Recipe binders – Tear out recipes you love and store them in a binder, or take a photo and save them in a “Recipes to Try” phone album.

Magazine holders – Great for coupons, manuals, or each family member’s personal papers. Keep them out in the open so papers get filed right away.

Memory boxes – One per family member for special items like class pictures, milestone documents, or keepsakes.

Step 6: Review & Declutter Regularly

Paper clutter creeps back if you don’t maintain it. Once a week:

Move keepsakes into memory boxes.

Empty the “To Do” tray.

Recycle expired coupons, outdated notices, and old papers.

How To Tame Paper Clutter

The goal isn’t to eliminate paper completely—it’s to make sure every piece of paper in your home has a purpose, a place, and a plan.

More Paper Clutter Tips:

• Effective Paper Clutter Solutions
• Going Digital With Paper Clutter
• Organizing Paper Like a Professional