One challenge most of my clients talk to me about is dealing with papers. For a lot of them, big contributors to paper clutter are newspaper and magazine clippings or old product manuals that they want to be able to refer to later. Not having one spot to store them can lead to their piling up and becoming overwhelming. Even having a designated spot may not be enough if the folder or file drawer ends up full and overflowing.
Liz likes to keep science articles she is interested in, but that are not related to her research. I gave her two ideas to help cut down on paper clutter. One is to throw them all out (recycle). Most articles are available digitally, so it’s pretty easy to find and download preferred articles to save without needing to find physical space for them. Alternately, Liz can tear out the interesting articles instead of saving an entire magazine, and place them in a folder or binder that’s well labeled and kept in an accessible place. Keeping the folder easy to find and reach makes Liz more likely to place the articles in the folder right away instead of piling them up to handle later.
Emily is a fan of collecting recipes to try out from various magazines, but they turned into clutter when she stored them in different piles with other papers and bills. I suggested that she keep a binder or box in the kitchen for recipe clippings so she could store them easily and have access to them when ready. I also recommended recycling them if a dish isn’t a hit with her family!
Warranties and manuals for brought items often take up more space than is practical. Most warranties cover one to two years, so toss them after they expire or you no longer have the item. For items you actively use, keeping the manual is recommended. One client placed her active kitchen appliance manuals in a binder that she stored with cookbooks in her kitchen. Another downloaded a PDF version on her computer so she could toss the hardcopy, but would still have an accessible version of the manual she could refer to if an issue arose. It’s amazing how you can find a lot of the manuals online in PDF. Make sure to label the document clearly (“manual booklet” for a PDF file is too broad when you can use “dishwasher manual”). Store the manual documents in an identifiable folder so you can find them quickly when needed. You might also think about making your digital manuals easy to find for your spouse, child, or friend to look up on your computer without needing your help.
What tips do you use to help cut back on paper clutter in your home or office?
S3 wish you all a wonderful and safe Labor Day weekend!
Side note: These blog stories feature real clients and their organizing solutions. For the purpose of client privacy, all names have been changed.
Thanks for posting this. My house is being overtaken with paper clutter. I am always afraid to throw out papers thinking that the 1 day that I actually need it, I won’t be able to find it.
A friend of mine who’s a bit of a technophile invested in a small document scanner for his desk. Its only function is to scan and sort whatever you scan into the appropriate folders on your hard drive. I hesitate to go completely digital – but it’s an idea for some.
Why not scan them (either the articles or the recipes) and then save them on the computer? Create a specific folder for them and label them accordingly. They will always be there when you need them! Just make sure you have a back-up drive for your computer. 🙂