Part 4 of the 4 most common clutter culprits
One of the fastest sources of incoming clutter is PAPER. It can be harder to control since you’re not necessarily signing up to have all the mail, all the paperwork, all the school papers, art projects, etc. As a professional organizer, paper clutter can be a huge source of stress.
This series has been the four common issues I see in my clients’ homes:
Buried surfaces: read it here
Doom bags/bins: read it here
Overstuffed closets: read it here
Paper everywhere
Many of my clients feel totally overwhelmed by all of the piles of paper scattered throughout their home. I rarely, if ever, see a client who has all their papers contained to one area.
This can look like lost bills, unopened mail, fliers, receipts, excessive school papers that need to be recycled, treasured art from your littles.
The combination of delayed decision making and a lack of a system to address paper leads to the disarray. It’s also confidence to make smart decisions and to trust that if you accidently throw away something important, it will be OK. It can be a nuisance as small as not being able to find a receipt for an item you want to return, to a huge complication like not being able to locate any of your important papers for tax season (that was a true story).
STOP/or at least slow it way down
opt out of junk mail
switch to paperless
switch to autopay (for bills)
call magazine, catalog, and flier mailers to be removed from their lists
Limit how far it goes into your home
My favorite entryways have a small trash can, recycling can, and shredder. Most of the mail we receive is junk anyway. Some people who get their mail take what they can right to the recycling bin before even entering their home. Find what works for you by talking with your family and really intentionally deciding on the routine. This is a great way to model for kids how to be on top of paper, to include them in the process. We certainly don’t want to pass this stress on.
I had a client who wanted her bedroom to be an oasis but it also served as the place she sorted and dealt with her mail. So her incoming paper had to come up a full flight of stairs and turn, go down the hall, and into her room. That’s a hike, and not an ideal place for papers to live. We had to revise the routine and set up a new plan to review in the kitchen at the trash/recycle bin.
If you can keep them as close as possible to the front door, it’ll be harder to let it get out of control because it’ll stay top of mind.
Deal with it promptly!
If resolving it will take only a minute or two, do it now; you’ll lighten your mental load and free up time/energy for future you. A big part of the problem of paper clutter is the “I’ll deal with it later” mentality, and later becomes a huge undertaking because you’ve let it build up.
Make it easy to deal with
A system for paper is like a routine, an intuitive and widely understood (by everyone in your home) step-by-step guide to navigate incoming paper. Have a station, have an “in box” for family to put important papers in. Have an art bin for each kid. Label wall files for each person in the family. Pick a day of the week to address, or let the fullness of each bin be the guide to when it’s time to pare down.
Get everyone on board
It is not one person’s job. Everyone brings paper in, everyone can help it be properly saved or discarded. Teach your kids about recycling. Teach your family about saving the best/most loved items and cherishing them by hanging them, displaying them, or holding them in a sentimental bin. Make time to go through and reminisce and continually edit as they grow.
Recycle and responsibly/safely dispose of excess
Ultimately if you have a showdown with your piles of paper, it looks like creating new piles:
trash
recycle
shred
save (file/store)
TAKE ACTION/FOLLOW UP
Did you know that the Delaware Solid Waste Authority allows residents to bring up to 2 boxes of paper for shredding—FREE? Shredding documents with personal information is an important step in protecting yourself and your family against identity theft. Check out the schedule here.
Staples partners with Iron Mountain for safe shredding; read about it here.
You can do this. I am rooting for you! Remember you have total control and you can be the boss of your home, of these papers. If you need help, please do reach out.