

For this step, you may want to invest in a scanner like this one, use the scan feature on your printer, or use an app on your mobile device. Keep- For this category, which was by far the smallest pile, I went back through the papers and decided which ones I wanted an actual physical copy of and which papers I could scan and store on my computer.

The third step I took when I decluttered my papers was to deal with the papers in each of the three categories I mentioned earlier. AND, it’s FREE! Click here to check it out. >By the way…have you tried the Cozi App? It’s one of the best tools available to help you declutter paper. I recommend keeping the following papers (and discarding everything else): Why do we do this? Usually, it’s out of fear of throwing something away and then finding out we need it later on. Really, though, we tend to keep far too much when it comes to paperwork. Too extreme? I created this graphic to help you remember what papers you should hold onto and how long you need to keep them. My clients are stunned when I say this, but there is nothing more annoying than papers.” – Marie Kondo The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing “ My basic principle for sorting papers is to throw them all away. Marie Kondo, the author of Spark Joy, says: After all, they specialize in this sort of thing. How exactly did I decide ahead of time which papers I wanted to keep? Well, I followed the advice of the experts. Thus began the process of inspecting each piece of paper in order to decide whether to put it in the “keep”, “toss” or “shred” pile. I knew which papers I was planning to keep, but first, I had to find them. The next thing I did was to sort through the paperwork. I even found stray papers in my bathroom cabinets. There were papers in the junk drawer, on top of the desk, under the desk, in my nightstand drawer, on my kitchen counter, and in the laundry room closet. I couldn’t believe all of the places in my home the paper clutter found to hide. I saved those for when I decluttered my keepsakes. It’s important to note, that I did not include sentimental papers or my kids’ school papers in this purge. The first thing I did to declutter paper was to collect every piece of paper I had hidden around the house. So, one day (I think it was a Tuesday), that’s just what I did. That’s when I knew I needed to confront the paper clutter monster head-on. It was increasingly difficult for me to locate even our most important paperwork. That is until I actually needed to refer to a paper I had stashed away. After all, it was so easy to just pile everything in a box or filing cabinet and forget about it. It just seemed like such an overwhelming task, one that was better left undone.
#Declutter your house of papers how to
Pin this post for later How To Declutter Paperwork In 4 Simple Stepsįor the longest time, I dreaded dealing with my paper clutter.
