There are few tasks as boring and daunting in the organizing world as sorting through papers, I get it. But paper has a horrifying way of proliferating like the lascivious bunnies in my backyard. If you don't deal with it, sooner or later it will deal with you. Buckling down sooner might be more imperative than you might think if you are concerned with our environmental footprint. By now you are probably familiar with the reduction in plastics recycling in the Portland metro area as a result of China's cuts in plastics importation. Apparently, next on the list is paper. While paper recycling is still offered by our haulers, it is advisable to begin dealing with any excess paper in your home. To read more about the paper and plastics recycling crisis, click here.
Unchecked piles of paper can create seriously hazardous conditions blocking safe passage and posing fire risks. Are you embarrassed by paper chaos? Stressed out by the inconvenience of displaced places to sit, read, work? Hassled and delayed by stuff lost among the disarray? Yikes, we better get to work.
Gather
1. Recycling bin
2. Shredder (preferably a multi-page micro or cross-cut shredder)
3. Paper lawn bags for the shredded paper (most waste haulers and your neighbors will not appreciate loose confetti)
4. Stapler to secure the top of the bag with staples to prevent the papers flying out
Gather sturdy stackable boxes
5. At least 5 banker boxes (12W"x 10H" x 15L") or comparable sized boxes or bins with lids. The lids allow for easy stacking. If you do not have any, see if you can borrow or ask merchants if they have boxes they do not need. Caution: do not use boxes from grocery stores. Any boxes that have stored food could be contaminated with bugs or larvae.
Label each of the boxes. You can use the suggestions below or create your own as long as you designate the level of priority.
Box 1: Deal with Me NOW
Box 2: Attention Soon
Box 3: Just Chillin'
Box 4: Recycling
Box 5: Shred
This presumes you have space to lay out the boxes. If you do not, you may have to shove things aside to create space or work in another room.
Time Timer helps you to really see how much time remains
6. Timer (a Time Timer is grand, but any sort of timer will suffice. If you are a visual person, a Time Timer is an awesome tool as it allows you to clearly see available time without having to interpret minutes remaining. This creates a sense of urgency to keep you on task.
Sort
Select a small corner or area of a room to address. Start small otherwise you will be overwhelmed.
Set the timer for 20-30 minute intervals depending upon your stamina and attention span or you may choose to work until all papers are sorted into the box categories below. Use break times to reenergize, stretch, refuel. This is not the time to get sucked into emails, social media or long phone calls otherwise you will lose your focus and motivation.Sort through the papers one by one.
WARNING: if you are kinesthetic in nature, do not touch the papers (Not sure if you are kinesthetic? Take the assessment here). Some kinesthetic folks have a propensity for exhibiting a sympathetic reaction to things they touch which makes releasing them so much more difficult. Decision-making will likely take much longer if a kinesthetic person touches each paper. My advice, have someone else show you each piece and describe the essence of the contents. This will also satisfy the needs of social butterfly types who work better with another warm body. With someone guiding you, you will fly through the process much quicker. If you read each piece of paper, you will be at this for eons. Keep in mind when working with someone else the objective is the task at hand, not stopping to discuss the latest book club bestseller or bitchin' about your boss. Work and talk. Stop to rehydrate, stretch, or to grab a bite of protein when necessary.Box 1 (Code Red aka: Deal with Me Now) will hold the papers that need your attention ASAP. Bills with approaching due dates or past due accounts, child's schoolwork requiring a signature, medical or insurance docs requiring follow-up, car registration/inspection, jury summons, questionable credit card charges, bank statements to be reconciled, event invitations, airline reservations for your upcoming trip, or anything where the impact of not dealing with it could make your life more difficult.
Box 2 (Code Green aka: Attention Soon) is the receptacle for material that interests you or needs your attention but not immediately. These are legal documents, pay stubs, and donation receipts, family photos, receipts for your tax files, client files (unless their paperwork needs immediate action for billing or an upcoming appointment).
Box 3 (Code Blue aka: Just Chillin') is for the papers and possibly memorabilia you come across that are of the least importance in getting you through your days. Magazine articles you hope to read; someday vacation or kids' camp ideas; movie reviews; financial advice; menus; recipes; old bank, credit card and utility statements; purchase receipts; user manuals and warranties; kid's artwork; sentimental objects such as postcards; the stuff that your life won't come to a crashing halt if you do not get to.
Keep or Toss? (Tough Decision Time)
Now comes the really tough part when you ask yourself "Do I keep it or toss it?" If you are struggling, I strongly recommend asking someone with a neutral point of view to help walk you through some tough love decision-making otherwise you might not make any progress toward paper reduction. For some guidelines to help you determine what to keep and how long, click here.
The recycling bin today is your best friend, make good use of it for outdated or unwanted credit card offers, magazines, journals, junk mail, newspapers, correspondence.
Use your shredder for any documents containing personal information. This includes account numbers, social security numbers, tax documents, and account balances. Heavy duty, multi-page micro or cross-cut shredders are recommended for getting the job done quickly and thoroughly. If you do not have a shredder, check with friends or neighborhood sites like NextDoor.com to see if you can borrow a shredder for a few hours. You can also take advantage of neighborhood shredding events. Keep your personal information secure.
Have kids? Ask them to lend a hand with sorting, defining criteria for keeping or tossing, and carefully carting filled bins to and from the garage recycling receptacle. Older kids can assist with the shredder or emptying the shredder into paper lawn bags. Staple the filled bags so that the confetti does not cover your neighborhood like a fresh layer of snowfall.
When the brain drain gets too stressful, take a 10 minute refresher break.
Timed Out
When you are finished sorting through the papers and/or you have reached your timer limit, the next steps are label box contents, find storage space, and select a date.
Label Box 3 with a brief description of its contents. Then take it to a place where you can store it out of your way provided that you have storage. If no storage is available at all, then it is time to rethink whether the contents are worthy of the real estate rent for the space it needs to occupy. In fact, a quick tally of the cost of the square footage of your home or apartment can really help you to think twice about what deserves to stay.
If there is space, let it mellow.
On your calendar, choose a date within 6-9 months (if not sooner) to go back to it and see if anything in the box calls for your attention. Many of the documents we save contain information that is readily available online. With a quick search, we can find what we need faster than remembering where we stored the paperwork.
Snap photos of memorabilia that you wish to remember but not save, honor it, then send it along to its next appropriate destination.
Label Box 2 also with a brief description of the contents, and find a temporary storage space.
Pencil a date in your planner or in your electronic calendar within a month to tackle its contents. When that date arrives, decide on appropriate locations for more permanent storage for the papers you wish to keep. Place selected papers in file folders you currently use or create new folders and labels if needed. If papers belong to someone else in your household, allow them the opportunity to find storage for them or dispose.
No need to label Box 1 because this box needs your attention today or sometime this week. My advice is take a short refresher break then set the timer for another 15-20 minutes and see how much you can tackle. Once the timer expires, take another 15-20 minute break then return for another short spurt. Do whatever you need to do to process this box. Pump up the music, scroll to your favorite podcast, sip refreshing water as you pay the bills, sign permission slips, reconcile bank statements (especially if you are prone to overdrafts), or phoning your insurance company about that missing reimbursement. This box should have the least amount of paper so ideally you can get through this relatively fast.
Reduce Your Way to Less Paper Clutter
Overall we tend to accumulate papers and other office supplies which inevitably cost us in time, space, money, trees, energy usage, and pollution. Reducing and reusing can lessen our environmental footprint. I recommend this quick read by one of my organizing colleagues, Ramona Creel for ways to further reduce reliance on office product consumption. For those that cannot be reduced, process them as soon as possible to clear your space.
If this process is still too much for you to wrap your head around, feel free to send me an email or contact me at ThePracticalSort.com so that we can begin to conspire on ways to defeat paper overload.
