Organize Paper Clutter
How to Organize Paper Clutter in 6 Easy Steps so you can create a system in your home for the papers that are always coming in. Get tips on how to streamline your files, control the mess, and keep paper from taking over your home.
Add this list to your guide to simple living and get back on top of your financials.
There is just something about paper clutter that drives most people crazy, and with good reason. It seems like no matter what you do there never seems to be an end-all system to keeping those papers under control.
Paper is a source of frustration for many people. Not only is it hard to keep streamlined it comes into our homes every…single…day.
how do you deal with the paper clutter?
The most effective way to deal with paper clutter is to set up a system that makes sense to you.
A game plan for handling things as they come in. One that will tackle paper clutter once and for all and keep those papers from getting out of control again.
why you need a paper system
Paper clutter can be one of the most dangerous forms of clutter because financial papers can get lost quickly, costing our households money. When you put mortgage papers in a pile with coupons and random mail, you are risking more than a clean space.
Piling important papers randomly can mean financial loss, missed deadlines, or opportunities.
Have you ever heard of out of sight is out of mind? That is exactly what this approach is. Putting papers into piles may seem like a system, but it’s not.
Look at papers differently
Placing papers in a pile to deal with later is neither efficient nor effective and maybe what you need is a change in perspective.
Instead of seeing them as papers, you should see those papers as directions for tasks that are important enough that someone took the time to put them into writing.
This statement is huge, so let’s hear it again.
“You need to see your papers as specific directions for completing tasks that are important enough that someone took the time to put them into writing.”
Those directions, whether they are to “pay this” or “respond to that,” will be the key to where these papers are kept in order to ensure they are dealt with on time.
How to Organize Paper Clutter
Finding actionable ways to keep papers organized from the start will help you to stay on top of all the important parts of your home.
Step #1: Gather, Gather, Gather
Before we get to streamlining, you first need to gather up the papers you have now. The best way to tackle this step is with a laundry basket. Laundry baskets are my top declutteirng tool especially when it comes to collecting papers.
They are durable, hold more than you might realize, and are easy to hold as you look and collect.
Action Steps:
- Walk from room to room, picking up every single piece of paper you find.
- Look for newspapers, magazines, mail, school papers, bills, and receipts.
- Gather it all up and put it into the basket.
Quick Tip: As you are collecting all of your paper clutter and you see something is trash, toss it right then and there. This extra step will keep that basket from filling up too quickly, and your head from exploding from paperwork overwhelm.
Step #2 Purge
Now that you have gathered up all the papers that were scattered throughout your home, you will want to do an initial purge of what you have collected.
This step should be quick and decisive so try not to spend too much time here.
You are looking to remove excess reading clutter at this point. Gather all the newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, coupons, flyers, and advertisements.
A note about magazines, newspapers, and junk mail
If you have a collection of unread papers, I want to encourage you to toss them.
Do not worry if you haven’t had time to read any in your pile. You are in emergency mode right now and reading has been put on suspension until further notice.
I promise you will have time to read again, but for now, we are strictly focusing on getting your head back above water.
Make it quick. Don’t think – just do.
You might just be surprised to find when dealing with paper clutter most of those papers are simply reading materials or just good old-fashioned junk.
Step #3 Sort and Prioritize
Now that you have things whittled down to the most important papers, it is time to prioritize what you have left. This will ensure every single paper that requires your attention will get just that…your attention.
Going forward, you can rest easy knowing that each important item will be dealt with and nothing will fall through the cracks, costing you money or time.
I find using a bed to sort on really makes this process a bit easier.
Sort Papers into 4 Piles
Start by making four specific piles. You can create the piles and toss things where they belong in one by one.
- High alert – Any papers that need to be paid, answered, or dealt with today…..right now.
- Top priority – Any papers that need to be dealt with within the week.
- Important – Any papers that need to be dealt with within the month.
- File – Any papers that have been taken care of and simply need to be filed away for y our records.
Use index cards to label each pile so you can leave and come back to this project without having to start all over.
Step #4 Sort Through Each Priority Pile
Next, use containers to hold your four priority piles. This will make sorting them individually much easier.
A basket, bin, or even a cardboard box will all work great. Be sure to attach a label to each to remember what papers are in the bins for sorting time.
Fun Express 13
Aebeky A4 Size Plastic Paper Storage Trays,Desktop File Organizer Baskets,6-Packs (White)Eslite A4 Size Plastic Storage Basket,Desktop File Paper Letter Organizer Tray, 6-Packs (Black)
Let’s tackle these piles one by one.
High alert – This bin needs to be gone through right away. High alert means important and important means ASAP. Go through each paper one by one.
Be sure you have a pen and a pad of Post It notes nearby.
As you are reviewing the papers you will either need to take action right away (for example a late bill) or use your Post It’s to jot down any notes.
SLCG Pro Tip: Go one step further and set up a “High Alert” basket to keep out at all times.
As you come across an important paper, one that needs to be looked at within 24-48 hours, put it into that container.
Next, set an alarm on your phone and start a new habit of going through this bin every day at the same time.
Choose a time that you know you can stick to like after dinner or first thing in the morning. The alarm on your phone will act as a reminder until this new habit becomes second nature.
Top priority – This bin should be gone through within the next 4-7 days. As with the high alert papers, these each need individual attention.
Using the same steps above either take immediate action or make notes for future attention.
Important – This bin has a bit more time but don’t wait too long. Put this on your monthly to-do list and make a point to complete it within the next 30 days.
You can set a reminder on your phone or make a note on the bin itself as a reminder.
File – This is your last bin, one that you can work on after you have a new system set up and into place. (see below) For now, be sure this is a large container as you will be adding to it before you get to it.
Leave it out so it is easy to toss in finished papers from the above bins or for any new papers that come into the home that require no further action.
SLCG Pro Tip: Set up a permanent filing basket. This is incredibly helpful in keeping papers from getting misplaced.
At the end of each month, make a filing task on your calendar. File all the papers in this basket so your file system is current and up to date.
This will keep papers where they need to be so they are easy to access when you need to.
Once you have gone through all the paper you gathered up, you will then want to set up containers that will allow you to sort daily never to be faced with paper clutter, lost bills, or misplaced invitations again.
Baskets to organize Paper Clutter
Use containers to keep incoming papers from getting lost in your home.
Mail Basket
Simple a container to put the mail or other daily papers. Teach your family to always ALWAYS put daily papers in this basket.
This includes mail, school papers, work papers, notes, and reminders. Have this basket out where you can see it all the time, like on your kitchen counter.
Be sure to go through this basket daily so you do not miss an important piece of mail.
I like to do our basket each evening after dinner this way if I need to talk to my husband about anything, he is nearby.
Finance Basket
This can be a bin, basket or even a desk drawer. Use this to toss in bills, statements, or other papers that relate to your finances.
Go through these papers weekly, preferably on bill/budget day. Having a set day each week that you pay your bills and go over your home budget will better keep your finances in check.
File Bin
Be sure to have a good-sized container here since this is going to fill up quickly. Make a date or a reminder on your phone to file papers each month.
This will ensure that your filing system will be current and up to date making the process of finding papers you need much easier to do.
Step #5 Create a System to Organize Paper Clutter
The secret ingredient to any organized area of your home is to have a system set into place.
Yes, decluttering is important and setting things up in an organized way is also something that cannot be overlooked.
But, if you do not have a system for dealing with your newly organized area you will quickly find yourself back to square one.
Do not overthink this part or get overwhelmed with what happens when. You are simply looking for a set of steps that will get you from point A to point Z in a quick nonstressful way. A system is a gameplan nothing more.
Struggling to stay organized no matter how hard you try? Find out Why Organizing Does Not Work for You and What You Can Do About It.
The best way to create a system is to walk through exactly what happens when paper enters your home.
For this example, we will call on my friend Susie.
Susie arrives home from a long day at work. She walks into her kitchen with the mail, her first batch of paper clutter. She tosses the pile onto the kitchen counter and sets about starting dinner.
Her daughter comes in a few minutes later to say hello. She hands her a stack of papers she brought home from school.
Susie, now busy with the cooking, absentmindedly sets the papers on top of the mail clutter and goes back to her cooking.
Finally, her husband comes home as Susie and her daughter are setting the table. He has a newspaper, a flyer about an upcoming picnic, and a few magazines he brought home for her to look at.
As is his habit, he tosses this paper clutter stack randomly 0n the counter in the vicinity of the first pile and heads over to the table to help.
An hour later, when dinner is done and the dishes are finished, poor Susie is faced with at a pretty impressive stack of papers. Luckily for Susie, she has an organized paper clutter plan of attack.
Organized Paper Clutter Plan
Step 1 – Go through your daily Mail Basket sorting through each item one at a time. Toss or recycle any papers you do not need as you are going through things.
Step 2 – High alert items should be dealt with right now. Permission slips, RSVP’s, overdue bills, etc, these items should be dealt with immediately so you do not forget them later.
Seriously we are talking minutes to complete all of these important things. Try to touch each paper once.
Deal with it so you can forget it.
Step 3 – Put any financial items into your financial drawer or basket knowing each item in this container will get dealt with within the week.
Step 4 – Put important items into a basket to be looked at within the month. I like to call this my weekly basket. I make a point to go through this basket on Sundays when I have time to look these papers over.
Organizing your week just got easier. Find out How to Use a Weekly Planning Basket to streamline your plans.
Step 5 – What you have left should be magazines, newspapers, catalogs, or coupons. Put these items wherever you read them or deal with them normally.
The coffee table, bathroom, or nightstand are a few examples that come to mind.
Coupons or flyers can go into an errand basket so the next time you write up your shopping list you will have all sales information and coupons in the same spot.
And now you are done.
Yep, that is really all there is to it. Maybe 10 minutes tops to put papers where they will get the attention they need.
You will want to fine-tune your system until it flows and is easy to follow. Once you do you will never have a paper clutter problem again.
Get a list of easy Paper Organizing Ideas for a bit of inspiration for your home office setup.
Step #6 Create a schedule to organize paper clutter
To take things one step further we need to create a paper clutter schedule. This just means that you do the same things at the same time until it is second nature.
Friday is bill/budget day in our home so any papers filed into our bill-paying drawer will each get looked at and dealt with accordingly.
Sunday is Weekly Basket day (find the link to how to use a weekly basket above) so items that need to be looked over are each read and sent on to the next stage.
SLCG Pro Tip: Use post-it notes to make small reminders as you review things. Once you have a sticky note, you will find it easier to move each paper to the next stage, such as bill paying or errands.
Motifeur Decorative Woven Strap Baskets with Lid, Label and Strap Handles, Stackable Bathroom Storage bins, Bedroom Organization Containers, Set of 3 (Navy Blue)Sticky Notes, 12 Pads, 3×3 inches, Colorful Self-Stick Note Pads, Perfect for Office, Study, and Daily Life Organization – Soft PastelWhitmor Form Small-Turquoise Resin Tote
By setting up reminders you will learn to stay on top of things easier. I love to have set days for dealing with things in my home.
This really helps to keep all my I’s dotted and my T’s crossed and no more am I finding things, important things, falling through the cracks.
Paper Clutter FAQ
Q1. How do I decide which papers to keep?
A good rule of thumb is to keep any financial papers for the current year until you are done doing your taxes at year’s end.
Afterward, you can set up a file box to hold each year’s papers and store them in a closet or file cabinet. A good rule of thumb is to keep common financials for 7-10 years, and any papers that are personal, such as legal, you should keep for longer.
If you’re unsure, ask yourself, “Will I need this for legal, financial, or sentimental reasons?” If the answer is yes, keep them and make of note of where they are in case you need them in the future.
Q2. What’s the best way to organize the papers I decide to keep?
Invest in a simple filing system with labeled folders based on categories like taxes, medical, insurance, and household.
Use a separate file for papers you need to act on, such as bills to pay or forms to complete. For long-term storage, opt for a fireproof and waterproof filing box for important documents. Keep your system straightforward to ensure it’s easy to follow.
When learning to deal with paper clutter it is important to have a simple yet foolproof system to deal with all the items that enter your home on a daily basis.
Once you have found a way to deal with the paper clutter daily and you will then have that new system set as second nature.
Now, you can rest knowing those papers will not get out of control again.
More Decluttering and Organizing Guides:
This is so simple can’t believe I ddnt think of it myself ! Lol . I have a jumbo pamper box of mail to DECLUTTER and more around the house . I finally have the courage to tackle all these papers thank youuuuu
You are very welcome, Rhiana!