Paper clutter

How do you deal with your paper clutter? I go through my mail daily, and have a shredding area which is dealt with regularly; but without fail I have a stack of papers that are about the height of my hand. I go through it weekly and deal with what ever needs to be addressed, but it is always there, I feel like at any second it could get out of hand. I think this way because I know how my parents dealt with it. By putting it into bags and then not dealing with it. I have an office but I need to figure out storage there too.

What do you do to deal with and contain paper clutter? I need help with strategies to make it seamless.

Thank you in advance.

Re: Paper clutter

Re: Paper clutter

I try to make it a point to throw it out daily. So for mail, I go through it as soon as I walk in the house. Same with the school bag.

I have been throwing out a lot of DS school work unless it's something really cute.


I'm sure in some circles that would make me worst mom of the year but I can't stand clutter either.

Message edited 11/15/2014 7:31:30 AM.

Paper clutter

I'm trying to get in the habit of throwing out real junk mail before I even get inside. This started with the crazy amount of political ads i was getting everyday for three months leading up to election day.
Anything thats questionable I try to open immediately and shred or toss. My things to do pile isnt as big anymore because I opted out of most paper bills. Stuff that needs attention but I don't have time for at that moment goes in a wall hung organizer near our front door which is also where we keep our keys so I will see it & remember to do something with it.
It's a pain in the butt in general

Re: Paper clutter

Re: Paper clutter

Don't even let it get that much out of control. As soon as it comes in, throw it out.

Re: Paper clutter

I go through backpacks and Mail every day.

Junk mail goes in garbage immediately
Important kids notices/things to be done go in a folder
Bills to be paid go in a "bill" folder
Coupons go right into my bag to be kept in my car

I have a drawer in my tv stand thAt I put the folders in along with the grocery store ads

I have a wall organizer in the kitchen that I keep other stuff in. Invitations etc are hung on it, catalogs are keep there etc

My desk is in my room upstairs. Once I pay the bills I file the paid stuff up there. I also file health ins info, bank info etc

The folders have been huge for me. I posted something similar a few months ago.

Eta: I keep a large tote downstairs that I put kids projects I think I may want to save in. I'll go through it every year to get rid of some and just save the good stuff.

Message edited 11/15/2014 8:30:06 AM.

Paper clutter

I try to deal with everything as it comes in which helps. Most things go straight into the recycling bin. Bills go into my calendar until they are paid. Coupons I may use get pulled out and put into my coupon organizer and the rest tossed. Invites go on the fridge. I take out the grocery circular I use and put that in a cabinet and the rest get recycled right away. The biggest help for me was moving a file cabinet into my hall closet so it's much more convenient to file bills once they're paid as well as all the other papers that come and need to be filed.

I think you need to sit and go through everything, find a place for everything to go, and deal with whatever you can on the to do list. Spend a day getting everything cleared out. Once you do that and make a plan for whatever else comes in it won't be so overwhelming.

Re: Paper clutter

you just can't leave that much to sit there.

if you can shred it - shred it!
if you can toss it - toss it!
if you want to keep it - file it! or put it in a binder!
if you need to keep it "open" - create a small pile for ones you need to come back to

I have a lot of paper clutter because I am a paper hoarder but it's never that out of control. I have a filing system for the mail and a filing cabinet. When that got filled up I bought filing boxes and store in the garage. I also have binders for paper storage (things relating to DD, recipes, etc.) and then I have a magazine rack for the magazines to go in and rubbermaid bins for any of my work related papers. So we have a lot of paper clutter but it's all in it's own place LOL. Doesn't make you feel as overwhelmed.

Re: Paper clutter

Re: Paper clutter

Paper clutter

Leave it there till I feel like dealing with it and I go through all the papers every week. Most of its junk anyway!