We can all agree that paper piles are overwhelming; however, papers shoved into random boxes and files are not much better. Imagine trying to find important legal documents scattered in a dozen different places.
Following are some tips for getting rid of the clutter.
Gather several letter-sized bins from a dollar store. They should all be the same size and height. Make sure they’re not shallow. Label them according to your personal files – for example, car, financial, health, home, legal, school, taxes, etc. Line them up on your kitchen table and quickly sort your piles of papers into the appropriate bin. Don’t look at dates yet – that comes later.
You also will need two boxes or bags next to you for recycling and for shredding. You can decide whether your extraneous papers go into these ®
bags now or after the next step, but don’t overthink your decisions. Remember, we are making quick decisions in order to eliminate the paper piles.Â
Once all papers are sorted, start with the most critical category for you. Now is the time to check the dates and subcategories. Is this a water bill from 40 years ago or a car repair receipt for a car you sold 10 years ago? Those should go into the shred bag. Only keep items that are essential for your life now, such as the latest bill that shows that prior invoices are paid in full. The latest oil change receipt can be added to the file and prior ones shredded.
Decide with your accountant what types of receipts make sense to keep based on your personal situation each year. File those in a separate file folder behind this year’s tax documents. If you have a lot, a small, lidded bin may make more sense for you.
Extraneous papers include privacy policies, interpreter services, marketing for other services they offer, ads, expired coupons and form letters. If you are getting mailings from companies you aren’t interested in, go online and ask them to remove your name. This will lessen the number of papers that come into the home.
Once everything is sorted, decide how you wish to file them. You could choose green hanging files for financial, blue for school and red for medical, for example. Within those, if needed, can be manila folders for subcategories.
If you decide to become more of a minimalist, consider investing in a scanner so you can keep all of your important documents online in folders. Remember to back everything up. Also, autopaying invoices that are identical each month, such as the mortgage or streaming service, will ensure that far less paperwork will be sent to you.
Some minimalists prefer e-cards rather than paper ones, or heartfelt greetings via email or text. You can save these special sentiments in a separate folder online, to be read over and over again. The plus for this is that they won’t be misplaced or accidentally torn.
Paper piles can be eliminated from your home and office with just a little effort and consistently making quick decisions on where they belong. ι
Los Altos Hills resident Lyn Rogers, a professional organizer, is owner and CEO of Lyn At Your Service.
For more information, visit LynAtYourService.com.
