Is paper starting to consume your life?  So many of my organizing clients say the number one challenge they face when it comes to maintaining an organized home is paper clutter.  What do you save and what do you recycle?  How can you reduce the...

Is paper starting to consume your life?  So many of my organizing clients say the number one challenge they face when it comes to maintaining an organized home is paper clutter.  What do you save and what do you recycle?  How can you reduce the amount of clutter that can consume your home? I am breaking down my 7 ways to reduce paper clutter so you can be clutter free!



Go Electronic

Changing your bills to electronic will reduce paper clutter!  Set up a file in your email for all your bills.  I would go as far as breaking them down into each separate bill.  Then, pay your bill once you get the email notification.  Move the bill into the folder once you have paid it.

Instead of getting paper magazines, access them on your tablet!  You can easily file your favorite recipes or inspiration and save them to your device.

You can read more ways to help you go electronic and keep them organized below:

How To Organize Computer Files By Eliminating Digital Clutter

10 Paper Organizing Hacks You Need To Know

Foolproof Plan To Dealing With Paper Clutter

Accessible Files

Paper can become a huge way to clutter up your desk space.  I always recommend that you find a way to organize your paper in a way that works for you.  I can handle using a filing cabinet, as I color-code all of my files.

If filing cabinets aren’t your thing, or you don’t have the space to store them, I love using magazine holders as an alternative for filing cabinets.  There are many ways to organize this, but the most useful, is to give each magazine holder a category.  Within that category, use file folders for subcategories.  For example, you could create a magazine holder for medical expenses.  Within that magazine holder, you can have each family member with their own folder.  All of their personal medical bills can go into their medical folder in the medical magazine holder.

My favorite alternatives to storing paper:




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Recycle Immediately

As soon as the mail comes, open it near a recycling bin.  In the summer, I open it right outside and throw away all the envelopes immediately!  I won’t even bring that into the house.  Boom…No excess paper clutter because I recycled it immediately!

This will help reduce the paper clutter that piles up on your counters or desks, as it accumulates quickly.  So keep a recycling bin near the place you open your mail.

If you have papers that have your info on it, then shred the paper immediately.  Or, give the paper and some scissors to your kids and let them go nuts!  Ask them to cut the paper into the smallest pieces they can.

Need more ways to handle paper clutter? Check out these posts:

What To Do With Old Papers

Organizing Paper Like a Professional

How to Tame Paper Clutter



Keepsake Bins

So what do you do when your child draws an adorable picture or creates a precious momento?  Create a keepsake bin to store those special items.  I only keep special items in the bin.  I get the kids involved so they can learn how to pick their favorites.

Who doesn’t have a ton of artwork/homework/papers from the kids??  It can be so challenging to keep things organized and not let them clutter up the car or your home!

I recommend creating an artwork wall near the garage or main entrance the kids come into the house.  This way, when they empty their backpacks or you empty the car, you can hang artwork up immediately.  Keep a recycling bin near this area as well, so you can recycle the unnecessary items.  Also keep a family calendar in this area.  Write down important dates, then recycle the paper that note came home on!

Not sure what to do with those other items the kids made? Read these articles for dealing with kids artwork:

What To Do With Kids’ Artwork

How To Organize And Store Photos And Artwork For The Entire Family

How To Organize and Store Kids’ Artwork

Coupon Organizer

If you love using coupons, then you probably have a ton just sitting on your counter.  Even though you use them, you need to find a way to keep them organized.  I really dislike the coupon organizer accordion books as things get lost.  I actually like using large envelopes stored in a shoe box.  I just grab the envelope before I go to the store and look for coupons once I am at the store.

 

Create System For Saving Papers

Love finding recipes in your favorite magazines? Get inspired by a paint color you see in a catalog?  Well, instead of keeping the entire magazine, tear the page out and recycle the rest!  Once you have read a magazine, there is no need to hold onto it, so tear out the pages you want to save.  This is drastically reduce the amount of paper clutter stacks you have lying around your home.

When you find a recipe you love, put it in a recipe binder similar to this one!  Then you will be able to keep your recipes organized AND reduce excess clutter!



Foolproof Plan To Reduce Paper Clutter

Instead of trying to do all this by yourself, why not invest in a plan that has helped countless individuals deal with paper clutter. The plan will guide you through what documents you need to keep, how to transform your paper into digital files, and effective ways to create lasting file cabinet storage.

When you use a system that works, you know that you will get the results you want without spending countless hours researching a plan. Or reading articles online. This plan will drastically help you reduce paper clutter so you can get to doing other things you love, instead of decluttering your paper piles. Get the Foolproof Plan to Dealing with Paper Clutter now!

Now it is your turn to get your paper clutter organized!  Start by going electronic.  Create accessible files and recycle papers immediately.  Create keepsake bins and store your kiddos’ artwork near where they enter the home.  Create systems for saving papers such as recipes, and keep coupons organized and contained!

 

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Organizing Papers