What to do with PAPER??!!

[mamadege5]

I am drowning in papers!! Newspapers, school papers, bills, ads, envelopes, lists, schedules, drawings, art projects, random things scribbled on scraps....

How do I get a handle on this? What system has worked for you? I have been doing good throwing out the junk mail evry day so far instead of adding it to the pile. But its not enough!

Help me, help me.....

[3boysmom]

I am ruthless! I open all mail, kids school folders, etc. right next to our shredder/recycle bin. Anything not supremely useful or necessary goes straight in. As for the stuff you already have lying around, I'd go through it and every piece that doesn't meet the above criteria would get the heave-ho. Kids art work, school papers I only save if really special - then it goes into a big rubbermaid box (each kid has one) for keepsakes. Some kid's art I've had professionally triple-matted and framed. Visitors to our home always comment on how great it looks. If you love it, use it! Don't just leave it lying around!

[Free Thinker]

We have one of those plastic paper tray things that have bins that slide out. We keep in on our kitchen cabinet and it's supposed to help w/ the paper clutter. One drawer for papers and notes, one for bills, on for phone numbers, ect.

[kimmie-pooh]

You can do it one of two ways depending on whether you get overwhelmed too easily or not.

1. The Flylady way - Start sorting in 15 minute increments.
~ Are you saving all those newspapers for any reason? Recycle!
~ Do you need those school papers? Recycle!
~ Recycle all those ads! You're not going to use them.

~ Do you need the information that is scribbled on random scraps of paper? Addresses or phone numbers? Write them in your phone book. A date for an event? Write it on the calendar.

~ Bills: Go through them. If it's a paid utility bill or credit card bill, you can throw all of them out except the current month's statement. When you pay a bill, write the date you paid it, the check number you used, and the amount you paid. When you get the next month's bill, make sure everything is accurate and throw out the previous month's statement. For anything you have paid in full (medical/dental bills, loans, credit cards), keep the letter or statement that says the account is paid in full. You may need this in the future.

~ Kids' drawings, I like the pp's idea, everyone has their own way of deciding what to keep and how to store it.


2. Or you can just set aside a day and do all of this at once. That's generally what I do. I cannot do it in just 15 minute increments because I just want to get it all done at once.