| If one of your biggest home organization challenges is | | | | three-hole puncher. Get two sturdy bookends to hold |
| how to organize paper, maintain incoming paper and | | | | the binders in place on the back of your desk or table. |
| just control paper clutter in general, you're not alone. | | | | Binders are an alternative to putting permanent items in |
| Paper enters almost every household daily. If you don't | | | | your file cabinet. For instance, instead of filing paper |
| have a system to organize paper and deal with | | | | statements you're keeping, store them in the binders |
| incoming paperwork then sooner than later you end up | | | | by month or by category. They're easy to flip through |
| with paper piles everywhere. Tackle paper clutter | | | | when searching for items. But you can label sections in |
| before it overwhelms you any further (and even if it | | | | the binder too with notebook dividers with tabs. |
| already has it's not too late). | | | | --vertical sorter. This is something you can use to hold |
| Papers in your home might include:bills and statements | | | | pending files or your tickler files on your desktop. |
| mail policies (e.g. insurance) holiday cards magazines | | | | THIRD, set up SYSTEMS to manage and reduce your |
| (from subscriptions) items you printed while browsing | | | | incoming paperwork. Set up the tickler file or make |
| the Web clippings from newspapers or magazines | | | | "hot" file folders to handle timely paperwork. This could |
| such as recipes, tips, products of interest children's | | | | be bills to pay, paperwork to read and sign, birthday or |
| report cards, artwork, permission slips, medical records | | | | holiday card lists to handle, etc. Put these folders in the |
| and more shopping receipts shopping lists | | | | vertical file you purchased for your desktop. |
| So what to do with it all? | | | | All other paperwork should go in one of your other |
| FIRST designate an ongoing workspace for handling | | | | three accessory purchases: The file cabinet (or the |
| ALL paper matters. But don't use the kitchen table. | | | | binders), the paper shredder or the trash can. |
| You want a more permanent work station to manage | | | | The file cabinet is for paperwork you're keeping |
| incoming and existing paper, not one you have to | | | | long-term but that's not in active usage. |
| hastily clear for dinner. | | | | The paper shredder is for any paper you can discard |
| SECOND, get the right tools for this work space. That | | | | that contains personal details or financial information, |
| includes: | | | | such as credit card offers and banking paperwork. |
| --work surface (e.g. desk or folding table) | | | | The trash can is for any paperwork that you do not |
| --comfortable chair (If you're on a budget, you could | | | | need that you would not mind reading about on the |
| always roll in a dining room chair or kitchen stool when | | | | front page of your newspaper if a "dumpster diver" |
| needed.) | | | | retrieved it. |
| --file cabinet for storing "permanent" paperwork (which | | | | If you can sort paper into these three areas as it |
| you'll try to limit.). A two-drawer vertical file cabinet is | | | | arrives in your home, great. But if you cannot get into |
| sufficient for the average household that doesn't have | | | | that habit, put incoming paperwork into one of the |
| any additional hobbies or home business paperwork. | | | | desktop baskets or plastic paper trays. Then set a |
| -- paper shredder. Crosscut or diamond cut paper | | | | time weekly (perhaps even twice a week depending |
| shredders are more secure than strip cut shredders. | | | | on how quickly paper enters your home) to sort and |
| --waste basket | | | | handle these papers. |
| --simple desktop organizer to hold office supplies such | | | | If you're already behind with organizing your papers, |
| as pens, pencils, tape, scissors, stapler, stamps, | | | | start with the newest paper. This helps ensure you |
| envelopes, return address stickers or stamp and | | | | don't overlook something timely, such as paying the |
| perhaps a small pad of note paper. | | | | electric bill next week. Then you can organize papers |
| --plastic stackable paper trays | | | | from those other piles scattered throughout your |
| --binders (loose leaf notebooks) along with some top | | | | home. |
| loading sheet protectors, slash pocket folders and a | | | | |