Oh the paper!! I feel like we are drowning in more paper than we need to be. Maybe it is because my kids love making artwork. Or people feel the need to send more things home with the kids. Or I am finding myself printing off more paper than I need to. Whatever the reason, paper organizing is critical for keeping yourself organized. Because when the paper is a mess, everything else feels that way too. I have 10 paper organizing hacks you want to know!!
Hack 1
Unsubscribe from junk mailers. Yes this one seems like a no-brainer. But 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!
Hack 2
Act fast to remove junk mail from your counters. A big thing I see is that we make piles of paper because we are indecisive about what to keep and what to trash. So why not stop the pile of junk mail and unwanted items from piling up? Don’t let them sit on the counter. Just get them in the trash or recycling instead!
Hack 3
Create a mail drop zone to help organize your papers into one spot. I love this hack because it is so easy. Grab a tray, and put all mail on that tray. It can be in your kitchen, or office area. Just keep the location to one spot. Then put your bills or important documents in that one location. Go through that drop zone frequently. By creating a drop zone, papers aren’t going to make their way all over your house. Instead they have one location where they can pile up.
Hack 4
Color-code your filing system. I love this idea to paper organizing because you can easily drop important papers into your files without reading the tags. You can create a file that is blue for bills. Red for medical. Yellow for house. You get the idea! I have more tips for organizing your filing cabinet below!
How To File Your Taxes Like A Pro + Tax Documents Checklist
Hack 5
Use magazine holders for specific types of papers and documents. I love using magazine holders. Because they are so easy to drop your papers into. Give each magazine holder one category. Add a label and you can drop your papers into the proper magazine holder. I have more tips for setting up magazine holders here.
Hack 6
Turn things into digital files. I know this is obvious, but I had to share it. Turning paper into digital documents will help you so much. Because on your computer, you can search for the file you want by typing it into the search bar, instead of hunting through your paper files.
Some ways you can organize your digital files are shared below:
How To Organize Computer Files By Eliminating Digital Clutter
How To Organize Pictures On Your Computer
Hack 7
Create a jar for receipts. Instead of trying to create a file for your receipts, use a jar on the counter. Add your receipts to the jar. Then at the end of the month you can go through the receipts to see what you can shred! This way all your receipts are in one spot so you can easily sift through them to find the receipt you may need if you have to return something.
Hack 8
Create a mobile command center to organize your papers. This can be done with any stand-alone filing box. Add the files you need along with a table of contents on the outside so you know what should go into the mobile command center. File the documents you need inside the command center so you can easily access the documents. You want to be able to move the command center so getting a file box that has a handle may help you.
Hack 9
Hanging paper organizers if you are lacking desk space or filing space when organizing papers. If you don’t have the desk space, try hanging paper files and giving each file a category. Then add documents to the categories to help with your paper organizing. This is a great way to create effective paper organizing while using wall space.
Hack 10
Get the Foolproof Plan To Dealing With Paper Clutter. Inside this plan, you will be able to stop stressing about paper clutter because you have a plan for exactly what you need to keep. All the documents you need are listed. You don’t have to worry about facing the paper piles alone. The Foolproof Plan to Dealing with Paper Clutter goes into detail for sorting, storing, and maintaining the clutter.
Bonus Hack
Stop holding onto manuals. Find the digital copy of the manual online. Then save it to your computer. Now you don’t need the manual anymore because you have the digital copy! Store in a file on your computer desktop. When you need to look at the manual, just pull it up on your computer or phone.
Favorite Paper Organizing Products
I do feel that some things work better with products. And paper organizing is no exception to that! Below are my favorite products to help keep paper organized.
Now You Try
Not every hack listed is going to work for you. And that is ok. Pick a few to test out. Maybe use magazine holders to create a filing cabinet. And use a jar to hold receipts. Test them out for a month. If something isn’t working, try a new hack. This way you can make sure you find the paper organizing hacks that work best for you!
Want more tips to help clear the paper clutter? Check out these posts:
Organizing Paper Like A Professional
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