Extra Pieces of Paper SAGE Column April 2010
Small scraps of paper pile up, get caught up, slide out, escape and in general are annoying. Even knowing this is true doesn’t make it any easier for many people to decide what to do about their paper clutter.
Paper is just flat stuff made out of wood and/or recycled pulp. So treat it like stuff! Have a place for it and keep it there. Be sure to remember that it is actually the information on the paper that is important, not the paper itself.
When you bring in the mail, immediately recycle anything you didn’t sign up for. When you open envelopes, recycle the outer one, all solicitations and marketing inserts. You don’t even need to review them. Really. I promise.
Many of the people’s papers are what I call “to enter” bits. For the information to be useful it needs to be transferred to the appropriate place. Defining those places is key: dates go into or onto a calendar, contact info into an address book, movies to view into your Netflix queue, and stuff to research or buy onto a list.
Create a book of lists based on your interests, and family and work needs to record the vital tidbits you get from clippings, suggestions, and notes on the fly. Bonus points to you if the book of lists is portable so you have the name of that book your friend suggested when you’re at the library.
Become vigilant about the paper that finds its way to you. Stop collecting flyers, brochures, handouts and marketing materials when you are out and about town.
Keep in mind that that it’s the information you need – not the shape and size or the way it’s stored. That will help you decide which of the little pieces end up in the recycling bin and which are data that you need to keep handy for use.
Tags: clutter, filing, information, mail, organize, Paper clutter, routine, simplify
