Bills, birthday cards, documents, work papers, post-it notes, catalogs, childhood keepsakes – maybe even traffic tickets? Hopefully not the last one, but you probably have more overwhelming paper clutter at home than you know what to do with. Without proper paper organization, getting tasks done can be paused for hours with impromptu games of hide-and-seek, as the motivation to even do them quickly dwindles. Nothing throws off your Feng Shui like having more paper spilling all over the house than Harry Potter’s Hogwarts acceptance letters. But you can take back control and reduce that fire hazard with these tips from Become Organized on how to organize paper clutter.
Paper Flow
One technique for some better paper organization you can use is setting up a flow plan in your home that begins at the front door where it comes in from. Paper clutter tends to grow like weeds and accumulate all over the house, so having different stations to keep the similar categories of paperwork together will keep things tidier and you’ll know where to look when you need them. An entryway table or drawer is a good place to keep important mail – usually the bulk of the problem – because they will have less of a chance to make it any further inside and potentially become scattered. Use a paper sorter marked with a few categories – like “handle immediately,” “handle soon,” and “for later.”
Some people find it helpful to store papers in the rooms of the house that they correspond with – coupons and recipes in the kitchen, catalogs in the living room, receipts in a shoebox in the closet, for example. Your vantage point will be easier this way to see which you still need to hold on to and which have overstayed their welcome. Always throw away what is marked for disposal as soon as possible.
Long-term Storage Solution
Even as people’s paper organization starts getting out of control, it’s astounding that they never invest in any kind of long-term storage solution. A single filing cabinet takes up little space because of its narrow design and is large enough to fit most needs. It might even fit well with a room’s decor if it is a certain color or modified. One of the worst things to use is a large tote, however, because unless you also add some type of separators inside, your papers will just become one huge, unidentifiable mess. Easy accessibility is an important part of how to organize paper clutter properly, that way you are disposing of useless papers as you go.
Get Some Expert Help
Become Organized is a company passionate about helping people take control of their lives through organization and time management skills. Manhattan and the surrounding areas pose unique problems when it comes to space and how to organize paper clutter, but their combined decades of professional experience have helped many clients find solutions – no matter how spatially challenged their homes and offices are! You can find personalized help at BecomeOrganized.com.