Organizing Paper Clutter
Organizing paper clutter is a challenge for most of us. Where are YOUR paper piles? On the kitchen counter top? On the dining room table? Stacked by the side of your bed?
For this article I will focus on organizing long term reference papers only. Papers where actions have been completed and they are being saved for future reference. These papers should reside in your home file-cabinet in a simplified system that allows for easy retrieval.
I worked recently with a client located in Orem, Utah. Miss P (we keep our clients identity confidential) was very frustrated. She called me to discuss her piled papers. She knew she needed help because she had tried many times to organize her paper clutter on her own and failed.
Was she ever happy after a 3 hour session with me! We put a file-cabinet system in place for her reference papers. It allowed her to process and find papers quickly and easily. She was thrilled with the results of our time together.
The process for organizing paper clutter can be handled very simply with my 3 step ACT formula:
_ __ _ __ _ __ _ __ _ __ _
Access
(Think) – This means taking a look at where you are and asking yourself these vital questions:
- Where am I stuck and why?
- What IS working with my current paper system?
- What IS NOT working?
Create
(Plan) – Consider your goals when it comes to how you want to deal with organizing paper clutter. Create a vision of how you want your paper files to look and how they will function.
Tackle
(Do) – This is the step most people actually associate with the organizing paper clutter project…digging in to the paper by sorting, categorizing, purging, assigning, containing, etc.
Once you have finished organizing your paper clutter, think of your paper upkeep in relation to an airport runway. There is room to take off and land, but no room for overnight parking. Your paper piles need to be a thing of the past!
8 pg Organize Home File Cabinet Papers Kit
Visit our store to purchase our file-cabinet printable that contains the folder names necessary for organizing your own file cabinet and gaining greater control over the reference papers stored in your file cabinet and you will gain a renewed sense of power and purpose by organizing YOUR paper clutter.
If you have tried to get your paper under control and know you need one-on-one help in order to get the job completed, contact us.
Click here to read my article about organizing paper clutter known as your MOST IMPORTANT papers…your vital records.
3 Responses to “Organizing Paper Clutter”
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August 22nd, 2013 at 5:38 am
I have found that I feel shame and embarrassment from all my paper clutter. Today I change by buying your paper piles kit.
August 31st, 2013 at 2:49 am
Your assess step will be helpful to me. Thanks for the insights.
July 30th, 2014 at 9:18 am
I have been focusing on what is not working. Now I will focus first on what IS working and then correct the problem areas. Thank you.