5 Clutter Storage Tips to Help Finally Organize Your Endless Piles of Paper
Fully 80 percent of the paper in our homes is basically junk. Read on for clever clutter storage tips that’ll help you trim piles in minutes!
Sidestep junk mail with one quick click.
As much as 44 percent of the mail we now get is unwanted. Fortunately, stopping it from filling your mailbox is easy, assures Nealey Stapleton, author of The Procrastinator’s Paper Pile Solution (Buy on Amazon, $6.99).
“Just visit free websites that unsubscribe you from mailing lists, such as CatalogChoice.org, DMAChoice.org, and OptOutPrescreen.com.” You’ll see less junk mail in six to eight weeks.
Corral keepers in a Sunday bin.
Managing the papers you do need is as easy as putting the ones that don’t require immediate attention into a basket, then setting aside one day per week, like Sunday, to take action on them, reveals Lisa Woodruff, author of The Paper Solution (Buy on Amazon, $16.20).
“Having a dedicated place to put these papers keeps them from piling up all over. And knowing you’ll act later lets you stop thinking about them now, giving you peace of mind.”
Prevent new stacks with a strategic pit stop.
Just move your recycling bin to the area where you bring papers in, like the kitchen, says Buglio.
A key reason papers accumulate is the extra step needed to take them to a second spot to “process.” Keeping bins close by prevents unwanted piles from forming and makes clutter storage even easier.
Outsmart recurring bills by hitting autopilot.
We get about 120 bills per year — that’s lots of paper! Luckily, you can dodge the clutter while still making sure bills get paid, says organizer Wendy Buglio (Living-Peace.com).
“Call providers to set up auto-payments and opt out of paper statements.” More and more are offering the service. For bills like credit cards that need monitoring, set up an online account and pay electronically.
Pare piles effortlessly with the single-page solution.
Stapleton’s mental trick that makes clutter storage a breeze? Instead of tackling a big pile all at once, just pick a single sheet.
If you need it, find it a home; if not, recycle it. When you’re ready, move on to the next paper. Being overwhelmed by a big pile leads to procrastination, but focusing on one piece at a time makes it easy.
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
