Have a look around your house. If you see paperwork here and there, it is time to make a change.
My husband loves to keep those mails and receipts on the countertops, center table, which makes me feel like throwing away all of the paperwork.
Fortunately, I have come up with a few paper clutter organization ideas which help me to keep all the paperwork organized.
You should apply these hacks as well to make your house paper clutter-free. Let’s see what the 19 paper clutter hacks that will make your life easier are.
19 Easy Ways to Organize Paper Clutter
1. Do not keep the papers you do not need anymore
The primary thing you should do is to declutter the paperwork. That means, do not keep the paperwork you don’t need.
I have seen a lot of people keeping old newspapers and receipts from the last year still in their house. Get rid of them as soon as possible.
2. Categorize the files based on colors
To store my important papers, I keep them in different colored files. For example, I keep all the papers from banks in red files.
Then I keep the blue ones for tax-related papers. The coloring method looks beautiful, as well as keeps the papers organized.
3. Label the files
Whenever you plan to organize papers in files, you should always label the files. As said earlier, I have separate files for my tax-related papers, bills, and other files.
I always label each of these files so that I know which paper is in what place.
4. Use an old tissue box as a receipts storage
I hate whenever I see my handbag is filled with receipts. That is when I decided to make an old tissue box as a receipts storage.
As there is a hole in the box, you can easily put all the receipts there. Keep the box near your front door.
5. Hang a wire basket in your room
I have installed a wire basket in my bedroom to store my every day necessary paperwork
If you feel lazy and feel like not sorting out the papers at that moment, you can keep the papers in the basket. Then when you have free time, sort them out.
6. Place a hanging storage baskets
I have placed a hanging storage basket in front of my front door. It helps me to store the mails that I get on a regular basis.
Also, you will never lose any of your important mails.
7. Organize with binder clips
You can also organize your paperwork using binder clips. Purchase a set of binder clips and attach colorful sticky notes with labels like – pay now, pay later, to-do list, etc.
Then store the paper works accordingly.
8. Store your kid’s school paperwork in a file
As a parent, I feel overwhelmed to see how my kid is growing up so fast. I have made a file to keep all of his school paper works from 1st grade till 10th grade.
I have labeled the folders separately.
9. Purchase a few plastic storage containers
You can go to your nearby local dollar store to purchase plastic containers; you can use these containers to store different types of paperwork.
I have a plastic storage container that has different colored containers.
10. Store your receipts in a mason jar
You can also use a few mason jars to store all the receipts. I have a mason jar that I have decorated with beautiful ribbons.
I keep the mason jar in one of the cupboards and store receipts there.
11. Make your own recipe binder
If you like to cook, you should make a recipe binder today. As I am kind of old school, I love to collect those paper recipes and place them in a recipe binder.
I keep all the recipes in a folder.
12. Keep a folder in your car to store papers
I am sure you have at least 50 papers related to your car. You can keep a separate file in your car to store your registration papers, oil bills, etc.
I do not bring the file in my home. Keeping it in the car helps me to find the right file at the right time.
13. Make your own DIY customized folder to store papers
I have made a customized folder, and I keep it in my room. It is not always possible to sort all the papers right away.
That is why I use this particular file folder to store all the papers that need to be sorted out later.
14. Go paperless if possible
If you have soft copies of the paper works, throw away or shred the hard copies. I mean, what is the point of keeping extra papers when you have it all on your computer or laptop.
Shred the papers with the help of a shredder if they are confidential.
15. Make a separate folder for your kid’s artwork
If your kid loves to draw or sketch, you should save all these memories. Make a file folder and keep all of your kid’s artworks in it.
You can use separate compartments to store artworks from different years.
16. Keep your study materials in the right place
If you are doing any research or studying, you should keep the paperwork in the right place.
I feel surprised to see one of my cousins who is in high school and how she keeps her papers so organized!
Get a few file folders and store all the paperwork based on different subjects like math, physics, business studies, etc.
17. Don’t keep the reconciled bank statements for more than 6 months
I am sure you won’t need your reconciled bank statements for more than 6 months. There is no need to make a clutter with these.
Shred the papers after 6 months.
18. Place your “FOREVER IMPORTANT” files in a separate cupboard
There are a few paperwork that you will need to hold on to forever. For example, your birth certificate, marriage papers, mortgage papers, passport, medical records, etc.
Make a separate file folder with different compartments. Store each of these files carefully and keep them in a separate cupboard.
19. Help your kid to organize paperwork
If your kid has just started going to school, teach them how they can organize their school-related papers.
When you practice this at home, they will eventually learn how to do it and will become a habit. Purchase a few file folders and give the folders to them.
These are the paper clutter organization hacks that I am following for a while. I think it is crucial to organize all the paper works so that you find your important paperwork in the right place.
Also, it helps to reduce stress. Let me know what you think about this paper organizing hacks.
