Tips to Reduce Paper Clutter in Your Home

Now where did I put the utility bill and the school paper I need to sign? Half hour later I find them under a stack of unopened mail. Sound familiar? Most homes have too much paper clutter which contributes to daily wastes of time and money, plus increases the stress level. These tips will help reduce paper clutter (and stress) that piles up around your house.

Start at the Front Door

Start reducing paper clutter by being more selective about what comes in the front door. The junk mail, catalogs from companies you never buy from and other forms of unsolicited advertisements that arrive in your mailbox can be stopped. Contact the Direct Marketing Association and choose to no longer be on their mailing list.

Subscribe only to magazines, catalogs and other print literature that is of interest to you and which can not be located online to reduce the amount of paper coming into your home. Only keep receipts and other paper documents that are essential, like tax forms and warranties.

Scan and Save

Scan all important papers and save to disc. Photos, kid's artwork, recipes, receipts, bank statements, etc., and all essential paper documents should be scanned, saved and backed up on an external hard drive. After doing an electronic scan and save, shred what can be lived without to minimize unnecessary paper clutter.

Shred for Security

After choosing what to toss out, shred each paper that shows your name, address or any other identifiable information. Invest in a cross-cut paper shredder for ultimate security, papers from a single-cur shredder can be pieced back together. As an added step of security, don't place all shredded paper from the bin into one trash bag. Divide up the shredded paper into different trash bags and pour a little coffee on top for good measure.

Go Online

Take care of as much of your business as possible online. You can bank and pay bills online with peace of mind as banks have secure, encrypted systems which keeps your account and banking information safe from online predators. Contact each one of your payees (phone, cable, loan company, etc.) regarding their specific requirements for accepting electronic funds.

Online bill paying also saves you money by eliminating the need for stamps and envelopes (no more envelope licking, yuk!), and possibly a trip to the post office.