On dealing with paper clutter:Right now I have a pile of mail that is waiting to be dealt with on my table. I usually keep up with it fairly well, but there are always things that take a while to find "their home". Here's some advice I found that could be helpful if you struggle with this too!
- Avoid being a neat freak. Neatness doesn't count if you end up throwing away stuff you need in the process of cleaning up. (I've been guilty of this!)
- Be selective. Clutter doesn't spring from not having the time or space to put things away; it comes from being indecisive. (so true!) Decide exactly what you want and get rid of anything that doesn't fit.
- Forget some advice. "Handle each paper once" is a little too extreme to work. Instead, try to take action each time you pick up a piece of paper--either file it, make a notation on your calendar, call someone, or decide it is not pertinent to your life and recycle it.
- Don't be afraid to file. You should be able to clear your desk just by filing things in the proper place (if you have that proper place organized in the first place!).
What do you do to keep a handle on paper clutter?
For me, each time I get the mail, I (usually) at least go through it right away. I pick out the junk mail first & throw that in recycling. Then I open statements, recycle the envelopes, and make a pile of the things that have to be just filed versus dealt with (ie. paid, etc). Magazines are one thing I struggle keeping up with...but they usually get put right away in a magazine rack we have in our bathroom, so we always know where to find them
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Comments (6)
If I could show you a picture of my husband's study you'd see he doesn't handle paper clutter well lol. He has a filing cabinet but apparently doesn't use it much.
We have a basket by the door for bills. Junkmail goes straight through the paper shredder which is also near the door. That helps some.
These are really great tips! I struggle with the mail. I also sort through it as soon as it comes in, and throw out the junk mail, but it's the filing things away that seems to not happen. I couldn't ever come up with a good filing system. Very recently, I read an organizing magazine that suggested having all bills/statements/etc just filed by MONTH. I think I can handle that. Then catalogs that I like to peruse go into ONE magazine file (which gets emptied when it gets full). Magazines go straight to the magazine rack in the bathroom (aka "the library"!!) at our house too. I've ALMOST got the system down now!
I'm serious....you all should check out flylady.com. You will get rid of your clutter! ;)
@denaejoy - I've tried flylady a little, Denae...but maybe I should give it a second shot. It didn't seem to be my thing, but my SIL loves it too, so I really should try again :).
I'm a piler! I can't help it! everything I try, I try for a while and then pile again. GRRR! Glad I'm not the only one.