Do you have a pile of papers that need some attention? Maybe a few piles actually strewn about the house?
Well … the bad news is that’s a recipe for visual chaos, forgetting life details, feeling behind, and always seeing but never actually completing important tasks.
The goods news is that I have an easy fix!
Take five minutes and:
Gather all of your papers. Unopened mail. Handbooks. School announcements. Receipts. Jury summons (jk). Get them all together. Walk around your house if you need to, and get it all.
Immediately recycle junk mail or irrelevant notices.
Open everything up and put them into piles such as school info, documents to file, receipts, household maintenance, etc.
Go file anything that can go into deep storage. (Do you already have a filing cabinet?)
Make a “Reference Station” for things you need on hand. I have school handbooks, seed catalogues, and home maintenance notes in my station.
Make an “Outgoing” pile for things you need to deal with and send on their way. Bills, yearbook orders, thank you letters, etc.
Call it quits!
Vow to never let paper get spilled around the house again.
Check your Outgoing pile every morning and factor these to-dos into your day’s schedule.
More Breathing Room:
To set yourself up better for next time, use a sturdy folder holder for any papers as they come in the house. This is my paperwork limbo. I have to go through it once or twice a month to keep it thinned out. I keep it next to my giant wall calendar. This is my Domestic CEO standing office. A cork board is too much visual information for me, but it might work well for some others.
PLUS:
Anyone who is looking to seriously overhaul a room or system in their home should read Minimalista by Shira Gill. I read it last week and I agree with 100% of her advice and technique. Plus she’s funny. It’s incredibly thorough WHILE also being approachable. I got my copy from the library so you can too if you’re not ready to commit to buying. She’s a genius because she has her Life Coach licensing and she uses this lens to help people de-clutter. There is no urging to compete for the least amount of things in your home; just a process to decide what is most necessary in your home and how/why to get rid of the rest. Go read it! Her book basically makes my work here unnecessary :)