5 Ways to Reduce Paper Clutter
You can get your home or office area spick and span from top to bottom, but most struggle with the paper clutter. We agree that the clutter never ends! Even when you've cleared it all out a few weeks back, there's bound to be piles and piles of useless paper in several weeks. Here are some tips that may help you in reducing paper clutter and keeping your work area organized:
1. Don't Delay
If you let a piece of waste paper sit on your desk, it'll start to attract more clutter. Instead of throwing the new junk, it'll be added to the pile sitting on your desk waiting to be thrown out. So, one of the most important tips to reduce paper clutter is to deal with it instantly without delaying it. While on the way back from your mailbox, check for any junk mail and throw it in the trash can right away. It won't add to the paper clutter in your home if it doesn't make it past the main door.
2. Keep a Soft Copy
In this era of modern technology, you can even go paperless. Any document that makes it to your work table can be scanned and kept in your computer's "office work" folder. Similarly, keep a soft copy of your bills saved on your computer, and you can access it anytime. You can even take it to the next level by paying your bills online as well. If you think your kid's drawing is taking up too much important space, make a digital photo book in which you can keep it with the rest of your family's keepsakes. Once you've made a soft copy, there won't be any use of the hard copy, and you can throw it away, reducing the paper clutter in your home. Also, you can use this tip to make your work-from-home area, one of the biggest paper clutter culprits, more eco-friendly.
3. Use a Shredder
Many people resent the idea of dealing with the paper clutter because they don't want to dispose of sensitive information, such as bank deposits or credit card receipts. So, if you're worried about privacy too, you can use a shredder to make any private documents safe for disposal instead of tossing them along with the rest of your trash. If you can't buy a shredder, many offices allow you to shred your documents for a fee. Some credit unions and banks have selective days on which you can use their shredded for free. You can go for this option if you don't have many things to shred, and buying a shredder isn't feasible.
4. Use Binders
Coupons are great, but they can also be a great source of paper clutter. Many end up at the top of the heap of trash. Important receipts can be a nuisance if not properly organized. Using a binder can solve both problems. Index card cases can also do the trick. But, make sure you keep the binder somewhere accessible, where you don't forget it while going out, or make an excuse for not adding the receipts to it regularly.
5. Schedule Regular Paper Clutter Sweeps
No matter how hard you try to keep the paper clutter level down, there will still be a few receipts here and some junk mail there. To truly purge your home from paper clutter, you'll have to schedule regular paper clutter sweeps. Depending upon the amount of paper clutter that accumulates and according to your feasibility, you can go for weekly or monthly sweeps. But, now and then, take out a few minutes and walk through your house to gather any paper lying on a surface that needs to be in the trash. Actually, why not add this as a 5-minute task to your daily chores?
Final Take
With timely cleaning and organizing, you can significantly minimize your paper clutter, if not eliminate it. Follow these tips, and you'll immediately notice a difference! Not only will the clutter reduce, but everything will be much more organized.
