How do I organize ALL.THE.PAPER?

How much paper do you have?  File cabinets, boxes, bins, folders, bags, etc?  Do you know what to do with all of your paper?  There are three kinds of paper that most of us have.  

• actionable
• reference
• sentimental

Actionable paper refers to paper that has an action attached to it.  This could be making an appointment, responding to an invitation, paying bills, planning a vacation, reimbursements, ordering information, prescription refills, coupons, etc.

Reference paper refers to paper that you need to keep, but you don't need to access on a daily basis.  Some examples of this are mortgage, insurance, taxes, birth & death certificates, warranties, receipts for large purchases, financial documents.

Sentimental papers can include photos, brochures from vacations, memorabilia, event programs, letters, kids art projects, and more.

We can get so overwhelmed with paper that we don't know what to do with it.  It piles up on the kitchen counter, desk, baskets, drawers, etc.  The thought of going through all of the paper can be overwhelming.   We can become paralyzed just thinking about what to do.  If this is how you feel, you aren't alone.  A lot of people want to get their paper organized and don't know how to start.

I want to encourage you that you can do it!  You can take a step on getting your paper organized.  And, the first step is:  Start!   How do I start, where do I start, what in the world is the first thing?

Begin with gathering all of your papers,and begin with a sort.  You have one decision to make:  keep or toss.   Once all the paper is sorted, get rid of the toss (recycle or shred) and then you have only what you want and need and then can begin to organize what is left. 

This first part can take a lot of time, but once you have eliminated the paper that you don't need, you may be left with a much more manageable pile.  Now, it's time to organize the rest!
I'll be back tomorrow to talk about what to do with the actionable paper!  

Tell me, what's your biggest paper struggle?

Please share with your friends who can use some help with their paper

Let's Do It Together!

Part 1 of a 5 part series