How To Declutter Paper and Paperwork
When I was in school, one of my teachers asked, “How many of you think you use less paper when you use a computer to write your assignments?” The consensus was that we used more. Isn’t that funny? He said that in his time the advent of the computer was hailed as a way to reduce the paper clutter and the paper use. But it appears that is not the case.
So how can we really declutter paper and paperwork? Well we first have to appreciate that the challenge comes because we need to store the paper once we have it, then we have to organize it before we can even start to think about discarding it so that we don’t get a build up of clutter. But why do we even use paper, well it tends to make the editing process in most cases easier.
However, here are a few ways to reduce paper clutter.
You can scan the documents, receipts and pay stubs thus creating digital files that can be stored and organized on your computer and the paper documents discarded. Further more these files can be easily searched and printed when needed. In cases where you have originals that can’t be destroyed them by all means keep them.
How about paying bills online. Many banks allow online banking and by using this feature you will start reducing the amount of paper you have to sort through. Also you only need to keep the previous months bill to confirm when the new bill comes that your account has been credited correctly. However, if you want to compare your bills by the year then that is only exception but once the year is up and you have compared then toss them.
Also if you are one of those people who like to recycle paper because only one side has been used. Then use it or lose it. Keep a shredder or recycling bin near your desk to help you lose the paper clutter if you aren’t using it. After all, is 200 sheets of scrap paper really worth keeping?
Now you can declutter paperwork by dealing with each piece of paper only once. That is once you get it make a decision on what you are going to do with it and act on it. Something as simple as keeping your inbox in order goes a long way towards helping you declutter paperwork.
Dealing with the paper that comes into your life immediately allows you greater control over reducing clutter before it gets out of control.
