It is two weeks into the new year, and I’m wondering how you are doing on your resolutions? I, um, might be a smidge behind on all of my goals, but I am getting there.
One of my goals this year is to reduce paper clutter. Here are a five tips for reducing paper clutter in your home.
:: Have a “mail station” somewhere in your home, preferably where you pay your bills or near where you bring in your mail. If you have a set place for your mail, it is less likely that those bills will end up somewhere else in the house (and get left unpaid!).
:: Create a filing system for those important papers you need to keep. Wondering what to keep and what to toss? Freelance Taxation has a great article on How Long Do I Have to Keep Those Papers?
:: Invest in a good shredder. Keep it right beside your mail station so you can immediately shred junk mail, bill inserts (those extra ads that come with your bills… ugh!), and anything containing your personal information. (And, don’t forget to recycle everything you can!)
:: Reduce your subscriptions. Do you have tons of (free) magazine subscriptions like I do? I’ve found that I’m not even reading most of them! If you are like me, take a look at what you are subscribing to, and see if you can cut some of them out. (What to do with the excess? I give mine to my mom, but you can see if a local dentist or doctor’s office might want them, or ask at your local nursing home or hospital.)
:: Store your children’s artwork and coloring sheets in a 3-ring binder. Hole-punch the artwork, and have a binder for each child. This will keep those masterpieces from getting lost (or tossed!) AND from landing in every room in your home.
One way I reduce clutter in my home is with my Neat Receipts Scanner. I received it as a Christmas present last year, and it is so wonderfully handy! I use it for more than just receipts, as it works on any document you need to refer too, but not necessarily keep. I also keep track of my finances with a paper-less system.
One final note: Organizing Your Way.net is the place to go when navigating the world of organization. Right now, Mandi is hosting 31 Days of Organization that assists and motivates you every aspect of organization.
What can you do to reduce paper clutter in your home? Do you have a system that works for you? Please share it!
Photo credit: Moofbong
Leave a Reply