Got piles of papers because you just don't know if you should keep it or not so you err on the cautious side and end up buried in paper? I think most people hang on to things for fear of "what if." What if I need that someday? What if I throw it away and I go to look for it? What if I need to keep it for records? Do I even neeeeed to keep this??! Why am I keeping this??! I've certainly been in that category before. Being sentimental doesn't help. I think that's why I scrapbook all those little bits and baubles so they don't end up being clutter, forgotten about, or discarded.
This was very helpful to me for determining how long I REALLY need to keep things for and I personally use it. We do keep tax stuff 7 years. But that other stuff in the 1 month to 3 year category? Yeah, be diligent about getting rid of that stuff. Adios, amigo! See ya later, alligator!
If you know specifically what you DO need to keep, you can easily tackle the piles. But what to do with them? Here's a great big 'ole infographic to help you out courtesy of Women & Co.:
Most people use the mantra "when in doubt, throw it out" and I think that with the digital age of scanning, one tends to be a little more comfortable with that.
Once you get in control of your papers and files, you have to be diligent about not letting that pile up again. Whether you have to address it every day or once a week or whatever works for your lifestyle, there are things you can do to help yourself along the way.
One biggie is do not let any junk mail come into your house. Be ruthless! Show no mercy! If you receive your mail at the post office, discard it there in the recycle bin before you walk out the door. If you receive your mail at home, discard it in the recycle bin before you enter your home. For us, I get to peruse the mail from the mailbox up my driveway to my house. I chuck the junk mail right in the trash bin before I come inside. And to do one step further, opt out of junk mail entirely.
Another tip is to have a specific place for incoming mail that needs attention/action so things don't get lost. And then take action and either shred, recycle or file after.
Speaking of shredders. You will need one. Depending on how much shredding you actually have, you'll have several options. Take a look at a couple of these at different price points and different features:
So give yourself permission to discard. Once you do, you will feel so much better! Really! If you need some help getting there, reach out. I'm happy to help.
Blessings,
Melissa