We can all agree paper clutter is probably the most abundant form of clutter of all. Between old receipts, mail, and the kids’ school papers, it’s hard to determine what should be stored and what should be thrown away.
The first thing you can do to eliminate your paper pile is to develop a filing system that works for you. Whether you prefer to color code with different folders, or keep everything contained in binders, establish a system that best suits your household’s needs.
Image source: A Bowl Full of Lemons
Once you’ve decided the best way to store your papers, it’s time to sort them by type! Some examples for sorting categories are:
- Important documents (birth/marriage certificates, passports, insurance forms, etc.)
- Receipts
- Kids’ school papers and projects
After you’ve sorted your paper clutter into categories, go through each pile and decide what you should keep vs. toss, remembering some items should be held onto longer than others. Follow this great infographic from Clean Mama for how long you should keep some items:
Now that you’ve decided what to keep, create a place in your home for storing it all. Instead of an old-fashioned filing cabinet, consider installing a beautiful SpaceCreations closet system in your office, like blogger Room for Tuesday:
Image source: Room for Tuesday
If you’re really ready to clear your paper clutter, consider going paper-less. Thanks to technology constantly evolving and becoming more efficient, there are many ways to turn your papers into digital files. Explore this great blog post for going paper-less from Just a Girl and Her Blog.
And the most important rule of all – once you get organized, keep up with it! For more organization and lifestyle tips, visit ClosetMaid.com, and check out all of our other channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Houzz and Flickr.
