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.

]]> http://becomeclutterfree.com/declutter-paper/feed/ 0 http://becomeclutterfree.com/benefits-to-decluttering/ http://becomeclutterfree.com/benefits-to-decluttering/#comments Sat, 16 Jan 2010 18:44:58 +0000 admin http://becomeclutterfree.com/?p=136 The clutter around us can come in a variety of ways. It could be physical, emotional and/or mental. However, why declutter? Why take the time to remove the clutter in and around our lives. Well initially you may not notice but there are many benefits to decluttering the areas of your life.

Imagine going through your hallway and it is free from items lying around be it children’s toys, clothes or even boxes.Also, imagine how you would feel when the amount of free space in your home just seems to have increased. This is just a tip of the iceberg on how you would feel once you declutter. After all, do you know that the less stuff you have translates into the more time and space you will have. That’s because, you will be able to spend more time doing the things you want to do as you are not spending it managing all the things you have.

Decluttering is also a great way to save money as you become more aware of the items you own and thus don’t find yourself buying duplicate items. Yup, you know those times you think you have ran out of an item only to realize later on that it just wasn’t where you thought it should be. Well such incidences can be reduced thus saving you time and most of all money.

Further more, when you declutter you increase your level of productivity. This is because you are able to find items faster as everything now has its place. You know, “a place for everything and everything in its place”. This will help everyone around the home find items for themselves and others alot  faster. Your productivity is further increased as you can focus on what is truly important instead of worrying about where to find this and that.

You can also earn some extra money by decluttering as items you no longer use can be sold. The used books, CDs and DVDs can be sold on Amazon.com or you can place items on a web classifieds site such as craigslist.com or oodle.com. Keep in mind though that you most likely wouldn’t get alot as the items are used but a little something is better than nothing at all and the items still in your home causing you stress.

But you can reduce stress too by decluttering. Do you remember what it feels like to sleep in a room that has just been thoroughly cleaned and tidied? How “light” it feels and how you just fall right off to sleep. Well a serene environment does that as it gives you peace of mind. After all, who wants to come home from a stressful job to another environment that causes stress.

Another benefit to decluttering is that you can have a social life again. You might be asking, how so? But do you recall how you felt when someone showed up unexpected and you literally just ran to tidy up in a hurry or how you didn’t want them to use your bathroom as you knew the state it was in. Well decluttering will allow you to have peace of mind and gladly open your doors to friends and family.  Also the hobbies and other interests you can now pursue due to the more time you have.

So begin the decluttering  process and start to feel all of the benefits that go with decluttering.

That being said, it is ok to say ‘NO’ when being asked to take on addition tasks or duties if they will hamper you from doing your best on your current tasks or if you wouldn’t be able to do your best by taking on that new task.

However, if you are one of those people who already have a full plate to deal with then don’t be afraid to take some time for yourself. Use this time, be it 15-30 minutes to recharge your batteries so to speak and focus on the things in your life that are important to you. Don’t forget to take vacations as well as the longer time frame allows you the privilege to better re-evaluate and focus you mind.

During these times of re-evaluation you may also realize another way that you can declutter you mind. That of sorting out feelings towards past situations where anger and hurt may have resulted. To come to a point where you can forgive and hopefully forget. Forgiving is good for the body as the bitterness you hold inside will eat away at you and could lead to sickness. Don’t be mistaken though, when you forgive that is not to say that you and the person start holding hands and singing songs but more of that you have accepted the hurt and are prepared to let go of the painful feelings and memories. Thus giving you a clearer less cluttered mind.

A preventitive way to address possible situations that could lead to hurt and resentment would be to deal with them as soon as possible. Be it immediately, or by giving yourself some time to clear your thoughts before addressing the person. Bare in mind though that the longer you allow the situation to progress the harder it will be to address it and the more stressed you will become if it is a situation that constantly presents itself.

A key way that you could declutter your mind would be to take action. Keeping track of all the things that need to get done doesn’t do any one any good. You just have to get it done. Be it making a call to get the sink fixed, to buying glue to stick a broken ornament you need to take action. When you take action to do these things you will feel a sense of accomplishment to the point that you may even feel like taken on more important task or freedom from the burden you once had.

As you declutter your mind make it a regular process so that you can have a more productive life filled with the things you enjoy doing with the people you enjoy being with.

When you do this, you need not look any further than your mind. When you declutter your mind you open up a whole new world towards achieving progress in your life. I mean, yes when you declutter your home you get this feeling of empowerment, of feeling more in control but imagine those feelings coupled with those you will feel when you are making better decisions and being able to really focus on the things that are truly important to you.

So how can you begin take back control over your life by decluttering you mind.

Well you can start by keeping track of those things that you have been putting off for one reason or another. You know, those things that you have been procrastinating about. Then decide and make a plan on how you will go about getting them accomplished.

However, as you identify those things that you want to accomplish you will need to prioritize them as well as any other challenges or situations that may arise. Once you do this be sure to stay focus on your priorities. If you identify any promise or commitment that no longer qualifies as a priority don’t be afraid to let the relevant person know that you will no longer be able to follow through on it.

On your way to prioritize those things you want to accomplish be sure to avoid any unnessary distractions. Be it your cell phone ( a 24 hours a day access tool), your junk mail or just people walking into your office. When it comes to your cell phone you could always change the tones of rings/messages, to allow you to identify a person you want to hear or not at the time. Regarding your junk email consider updating your spam filtering software, configuring server side filtering and/or just getting a new email address. If you are one of those people who always seem to be getting calls from telemarketers and you would like that to stop then just head on over to http://donotcall.gov and sign up to have your name removed from “The List”. For people walking into your office you could always have set times where possible were you ask not to be disturbed.

Some say you can declutter your mind by having what I like to call, personal cheerleaders around you . Those people who want want the best for you as well as those people who are always positive. Such cheerleaders can be all around you or just come from books and even tapes geared towards keeping you positive about life and what you can achieve. By the way, don’t be afraid to leave people who want to keep you down where they are and surround yourself with positive people.

Further more, just being thankful for what you have is a great practice as you will come to appreciate more and more how focusing on those things you don’t have were cluttering up your and mind. So with that said, don’t be afraid to be yourself and go around pretending to be one of the Jones’. This false reality does more harm than good due to the anxiety and worry that builds up just trying to keep up appearances.

It may feel a little overwhelming just thinking about decluttering your mind but in all you do as with in life be sure to stay calm. You know, don’t worry. After all, staying calm will allow you to be able to enjoy the present and all that comes along with it. I once heard this phrase from a guy “Why worry, it is not worth your time. Because if you worry and nothing happens then you would have worried in vain, but if you worry and something happens then you end up worrying twice.” So in the words of that song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”.

So to get your fridge decluttered you first need to take everything out. That’s right, we have to empty the fridge so as to carry out the first phase of the decluttering the fridge. This will be done so as to not be trying to clean around any food items.

Great! Once the fridge is empty we can start to clean it. You could use a cleaning solution made from warm water with two heaping tea spoons of bicarbonate of soda added to it. However, you could use any other cleaning solution you may be use to but I prefer this one as it cuts through dirt, is non-toxic and wouldn’t scratch the interior of the fridge.

Now using your cleaning solution begin to clean your fridge from the top all the way down to the bottom. If you happen to have removal shelves this could be made easier by removing them and wiping them all over with the cleaning solution. Once you have finished with these you can then begin to clean the inside of the fridge door by also starting at the top and going down. The same applies here if any trays can be detached to allow for easy cleaning of the tray as well as behind it. Afterwards be sure to remove any residual cleaner that may be present. Now once this is finished you can now clean your vegetable bins aka salad drawers. It might be best to make up fresh cleaning solution to use to clean these drawers. When you are finished rinse and dry with a clean towel.

It is now time to replace your food items. Before you do, be sure to check for any items that might have expired or that have gone bad and toss them. As you now replace those items that you want to put back into your fridge be sure to have those items you will use often like maybe butter, yogurt etc close to the front. This will be so that you don’t have to be moving items around every time you want to get to them thus disorganizing your fridge all over again. Your fridge door will make an idea place for any drinks or items that will used quickly so as to also not be moving items around ever so often.

Your fridge space should be considerd valuable space and ought not to be taken up with left over food you know you will not be getting back too. Remember not to over stock your fridge as that will not only make it harder to find stuff you are looking for but will mean that your fridge will have to work harder to keep the items in it cool.

By the way, always remember to have fun as you organize and declutter your fridge.

If you are the kind of person whose kitchen is the center of business in the house then you will want to designate an area of your kitchen or office for going through your mail as well as filing any bills in the order they are to be paid. It is always best to find a system for organizing these areas that works for you. Be it color coding items from green means “paid, yellow means “go and pay” to red meaning “overdue”. Alternatively, you could always just have an other area of your home where you do your sorting.

What else can you do to declutter your kitchen? Well, you can start by cleaning any dirty dishes and ensuring that the countertops are wiped down. Once this step is complete be sure to take all the items out of all the cabinets and draws. It might be best to go through one cabinet or draw at a time as this will make it feel like less of a chore.

In each case be sure to ask yourself if the item is critical to the every day workings of your kitchen. You know, pay attention to the items you hardly use and get rid of them. The best way to do this would be to donate them to your local charity. After all that new toaster your mother-in-law gave you was meant to replace the old one you have even though she didn’t say to toss the old one directly. Further more, you could get some added benefit out of any items you will be tossing by having a garage sale.

Now that you have decided what to keep, organize them into groups according to what you use them for. Like placing your baking ingredients close together preferably on the same shelf, your canned items on another and your spices on another. In essence ” no pun intended” you can have areas of your kitchen organized into areas where you have items required for a particular task. You know areas designated as preparation, cooking, serving, cleaning and even waste removal. This will help reduce time spent looking around in the back of the cupboard in an effort to find what you need.

Further more, always make sure you have containers labeled that have ingredients in them that have been removed from their original containers. Also take note of the items you might be low on or need replacing as well as anything that might require fixing.

As you organize your kitchen into areas, you can even go as far as to ensure that your counter tops have as minimal amount of objects on them as possible. After all this is an area that requires regular cleaning and the less on it the better.

Your kitchen counters and cupboards should be considerd valuable space and ought not to be taken up with items you hardly use. So as you organize and declutter your kitchen remember to have fun during the whole process as you reshape and rejuvenate your kitchen.

Having a desk that is cluttered makes it hard to find the things you need quickly and easily and can also take a mental toll on your sense of well being. So to start the declutter process remove everything from your desk. That’s right take everything off of your desk even the computer. Once you have finished doing this you can then go about cleaning your desk to remove any dust or debris that might have accumulated from the last time you cleaned it.

After you have finished cleaning your desk you can then begin to replace essential items like computers, monitors and desk lamps. Now, go through any stackes of papers you may have and decide what you will be keeping and what you will be throwing away immediately. Any papers you may be keeping can be placed in a binder or folder for future use. You could even go as far as to have a filling systems that is neat and organized.

Now you can begin to replace other essential items that you use regularly one by one to your desk like a stapler if you staple items routinely during the day. Other stationery that you don’t us regular should go into a draw neatly until needed. These may include staples, note pads and envelops.

Don’t forget to personalize your desks with pictures but be sure to keep it simple so that they will not get into the way of your day to day business.

Be sure to pay attention to all items that get on your desk as they may be the source of clutter coming back. Once you keep these in check you will be well on your way to having a desk that is clutter free.

Good times to approach the issue of de-cluttering a closet are late fall and late spring. This is because by then the weather would have become a little more constant. After all, would you want to pack away all your summer clothes in the beginning of October only to suddenly get a week that a Capri and short sleeves would have been perfect. Also, you will want to tackle de-cluttering your closet when you have the whole day to spare. This is because you will most likely use your bed to store clothes and you wouldn’t want to get to a point where it is time for bed and you are so tired that you just throw everything back into the closet to go to sleep. However, the de-cluttering of your closet actually starts a few days earlier as you check it out to determine what you would need to organize it. Maybe you need a better way to organize you shoes. Do you have your accessories all over the place due to a lack of proper storage? Do you require more shelves or racks? On identifying the items you need to aid in the organizing of the closet you can purchase it in advance so you have it by your “de-cluttering the closet” day.

On the set day, start by removing pieces of clothing and judging them one at a time. Determine how long since you last wore it and whether or not it is in good condition. If with in the last year there is a piece of clothing you have not worn chances are, you are not going to wear it anytime soon. Sort your accessories and shoes as well. Any items that are not in good condition discard. Once your closet is empty you can go ahead and clean it by vacuuming the floor and wiping down any shelves, racks and clothes bars. Afterwards, you can begin replacing the items into your closet you are going to keep back in an organized manner.

Don’t take any space for granted it you happen to have a small closet. After all, you can place a few hooks, a shoe rack or even an accessory rack at the back of the closet door. If after doing this you still find yourself running out of space to store your shoes, look for alternatives. A great alternative would be to purchase a bin with wheels that you can slide under your bed. If space under your bed is limited or you don’t have space for a bin you can get bed lifts to help increase the amount of space under your bed. Any seasonal items that you may have can be stored in vacuum bags. A great tip to save time in the future when switching out seasonal clothes is to store your out of season clothes on hangers. As such clothes don’t need to be hung up, having them stored with the hanger intact makes it easy to put them in and take them out of your closet  with each change in season. Consider investing in a permanent organizational solution. Companies like EasyClosets.com help you maintain a closet that is organized and clean as they specialize in space utilization. For those females in your life who have a lot of hand bags then they can check out Clipa – The Instant Handbag Hanger which is a great way to help them organize the handbags in their closet as well as allowing them the convenience of being able to hang their handbags securely when they are out running errands.

Conquering the clutter in your closet can be a simple process. All you have to do is take your time, utilize your existing space efficiently and look for the most appropriate  organizational solutions.

Firstly, get a pen and paper and make some notes when you are starting to declutter your bedroom. Now, look around the room and note where the clutter is mostly collecting. Is the clutter predominately by the nightstand? What essential items would you like to keep close to your bed and what items are cluttering up the space? Do you enjoy reading reading at night? If you have piles of books and magazines that are out of place you might be able to  solve that problem by placing a few shelves by the side of the bed.

If you notice small pieces of garbage all over the night stand then on your list it would be a good idea to purchase a small trash bin to keep by the bed side. If the clutter is due to laundry that is heaping up in a pile next to the bed then an investment in a laundry hamper would be a great idea to make note. During your de-cluttering process remember to check under the bed. How is the organization there? Would the purchase of a few bins with wheels on them that can slide easily in and out from under the bed be important? Would you need to get bed lifts if there isn’t enough space for the bins? Once you have identified the items you need to purchase to aid you in organizing your bedroom, it is then onto step two.

Secondly, you need to work on creating your organized space. If you identified that there was clutter near your bed table and the relevant adjustments as to shelve, etc., have been made then you can go through these items and remove those that you no longer need in your bedroom.How many of the books ad magazines are you really reading at the moment? Are there any books that you can place on another shelf in your home or maybe give away? Can the magazines be tossed? Do you have any clothes in your dresser that you can get rid of instead of merely placing in another dresser? You can separate your underwear, socks, bathing suits, etc instead of placing them all in to the same drawer. If you found that most of your clutter was under your bed, are there things that can be stored somewhere else in your home? Seasonal bedding can be stored in an air tight bag under your bed. In the process of deciding what to store under your bed a nice thing to keep in mind is that if you can not see each individual bin or bag under the bed, then you probably have too many things under there.

It is very easy to create a relaxing environment. Once you are clear on what you want you can make your bedroom the space of your dreams.

Starting with the general layout of your office, look to make sure that there is a clear path between your office furniture. That is, from your desk to any file cabinets and from your desk to the door to name a few. Also consider the overall space in your office as well. Is any of your furniture to big or small for the space? If your desk is too large it give the feeling of a cramped environment. Placing a table next to a small desk if you have one and require more room to work, can go a long way towards adding that touch of elegance to your office design as well. So your goal would be to find a table that is not only the same color finish but also height as your desk.

Is there the proper furniture in your office that is used to hold the essentials like a photo copier,fax machine, etc. If you were to give some of your essentials their own separate space it will allow you to gain a lot of work space whilst organizing your office. An example would be to have your printer or multifunction copier on a printer stand within usable distance and not on your desk. This will help to increase the valuable space you already have on your desk. Besides, the printer stand will also give you some more shelf storage space for accessories like printer paper. Is there enough room available for files or books? Investing in a book shelf might be the way to go; either freestanding or built in. Going as far as to place your desk in a manner that makes it easily accessible to other office furniture or equipment would be extremely beneficial as well. After all, you may be the type of person who requires access to your file cabinet regularly and an easy solution to the constant getting up and down would be to have the filing cabinet directly behind your desk. Alternatively, you could have the path wide enough that you can remain seated and roll your chair back and forth to the other office equipment.

Your desk alone can easily get cluttered and unorganized. So, what are the items that you really need on your desk? Having an uncluttered desk top can be achieved by organizing the paper on your desk. Making sure that all manila files and/or project folders are labeled also helps in the organization. You could be able to tell at a glance the various projects that require your attention by placing stacks of files in a step folder. This has the added benefit of getting rid of them as well. The use of stacking trays may be of use as these are ideal for assigning those “inbox” and “outbox” locations. These stacking trays not only save space but also help to keep your office desk top neat. The drawers of your desk are also areas that you need to pay special attention. You can organize your drawers by placing loose pens, paper clips and thumb tacks within plastic trays and caddies that are designed to fit into a desk drawer and which can be obtained from most office supply stores and chain retailers. Also look around the floor of your desk as this may have become a place where you placed items that couldn’t fit on your desk.

Once you have conquered the clutter in your office, it is really simple to ensure that it remains organized. This is achieved by spending a few minutes at the end of each day to put things away as this will help reduce the chances of the clutter returning.