Oh the paper clutter. It can pile up faster than you can say “super-cali-fragilistic-expi-ali-docious”.
So how can you actually declutter all that paper in order to only keep things you actually need?
It takes some effort and commitment on your part, but it can be done. These 12 ways to organize paper clutter can help you declutter instantly!
Organizing Hacks For Paper
Did you know you can unsubscribe from junk mailers??
When it comes to stopping the piles of paper, going to the email link on the back of the mailer is going to help stop the clutter. Most junk mailers have a website, or phone number you can call that is located on the back of the mailer. Go to that website and click “unsubscribe”. Then you don’t have to worry about those mailers again!
Want more organizing hacks? Try this blog post: 10 Paper Organizing Hacks You Need To Know
Sorting Through Old Papers
The first step towards dealing with old papers is to stop new papers from coming into your house. Now why would that matter? Because when new papers come in, your “new” papers become old.
In order to stop more paper from coming into your home, you need a game plan.
Switch bills to electronic. This will stop the paper bills from piling up, and you missing a payment because you can’t find that bill!
Also, deal with mail daily. Don’t let things pile up. Instead come up with a system for stopping the clutter.
I break down that system in this blog post: What To Do With Old Papers
Paper Clutter Plan
Sometimes all you need is a plan to deal with paper clutter. Something that has been tested out by countless individuals who can ensure that this plan works for dealing with the paper clutter.
Now this magical plan is called the Foolproof Plan For Paper Clutter.
Inside this plan, you get a list of all the documents you have to keep…because that is one of the most asked questions around paper clutter.
Checklists are included to help keep you organized while dealing with paper clutter.
And, best of all, it is all DIGITAL! Meaning you don’t have to print out a thing. So there is no extra paper clutter because you can open this document in your eReader and use without a paper trail!
Keeping Papers Organized
Did you know 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.
So how can we stop the paper madness and start getting organized? These blog posts can help:
Organizing Paper Like a Professional
Clear Paper Clutter With A Plan That Works
12 Ways To Overhaul Your Paper Storage
School Papers
Kids coming home with all the school papers can feel overwhelming. So you need Easy Systems For Organizing School Papers. These are things that you need to tackle throughout the entire school year.
Plus you also need a strategy for What To Do With All The End Of School Papers. These are papers that are from the entire school year, that your kiddos’ teachers send home like the last week of school. That is when those piles come in. You need to sort, declutter, and put away as you get those papers. So plan time to tackle that at the end of the school year.
Sorting Papers
How many paper categories do you have in your filing cabinet right now?
I have my tips for how to categorize all those papers in this blog post: How To Quickly Organize Papers
Declutter Papers
The easiest way to weed out the junk is to keep a recycling can, and shredder next to your “drop zone”. That way you can get rid of the trash before it even hits the table/desk/etc.
Make sure you get all your bank and credit documents emailed to you. Create folders in your email for all the documents you receive. More Effective Paper Clutter Solutions here.
Products To Keep Papers Organized
While products aren’t always necessary, they can be helpful when maintaining paper clutter. I have a few favorites that I have included below. I use magazine holders as desktop paper holders. Trays can act as holders for papers coming in from the kids’ backpacks and work. And filing cabinets can help keep your space tidy!
Filing Systems
Filing cabinets can be great if set up to meet your needs. I have some of my favorite ways to set up home filing systems below:
6 Effortless Ways To Use Magazine Holders For Anything But Magazines
Tax Documents
Tax documents are another big way that paper can pile up. When you have paper documents for your taxes, you need a systematic way to keep them organized.
I am breaking down those strategies in this blog post with a free checklist:
How To File Your Taxes Like A Pro + Tax Documents Checklist
Artwork
Kids’ artwork needs a designed spot in your home to be collected. I like using command centers or trays.
Then I recommend the kids sort through their items on their own. This way the clutter doesn’t always all on me.
The articles below are great references for what to do with kids artwork:
How To Create Kids Art Storage
How To Organize and Store Kids’ Artwork
Reader Request: Storing Children’s Artwork
Photos
Photos are another thing I find go hand-in-hand with paper. We always find random photos when going through old filing cabinets or paper piles. So keeping the pictures organized is going to come in handy.
Try these tricks for storing photos for the entire family: How To Organize And Store Photos For The Entire Family
Sentimental Papers
Typically we have papers that are meaningful in our paper piles. So we have to treat those items with care. The Workbook For Decluttering Sentimental Items was developed to help you organize your sentimental items in a way that works for you. The process includes going through your stuff twice!
Yes, you go through your sentimental items twice so you don’t end up throwing away something of value to you.
I had a former client who worked with a woman who claimed to be an organizer. She was all about the “touch it once” method. That method means you pick up an item and immediately make a decision about keeping, or throwing away. But she didn’t have this couple do that with each item. Instead, she was having them do that method with boxes of stuff. The would pick up a box and decide right then and there if she could throw the entire box away!
They couldn’t do that so they decided to call me. And we spent the necessary time going through each box in a manner that worked for them.
Because sentimental items take time.
So instead of rushing, start with the Workbook For Decluttering Sentimental Items.
Easy Ways To Organize Paper Clutter
So many of my virtual organizing clients say the number one challenge they face when it comes to maintaining an organized home is paper clutter. What do you save and what do you recycle? How can you reduce the amount of clutter that can consume your home?
These 7 Ways To Reduce Paper Clutter can help you organize your paper clutter!
