- Deal with mail immediately when it comes in the house. Recycle all junk mail. If there’s a bill that needs to be paid, put it in an “action” or “bills to pay” folder. Even better, set up everything you can on autopay and have your statements emailed. If there are personal notes you want to save, designate a pretty lidded box for keepsakes and file it after displaying for the week.
- In your home’s landing zone, keep a few file folders or magazine holders (I love these) labeled with broad categories. For example, a “taxes” folder, a “bills to be paid” folder, a “to file” folder and a “kids action” folder. Almost everything that needs to be saved can go in one of those places.
- Once a week (preferably on Sunday when you’re meal planning and doing your weekly calendar), file the paperwork that needs to be filed and shred or recycle anything you don’t need to keep.
- Try to keep paperwork in one (max 2) location(s). That way when you need to find something, you don’t need to search every room in the house. You know it must be in the office or in the landing zone.
- Less is more. You don’t need to keep as much as you think you do. Health forms and tax forms are the exception to this but almost anything else I’m pretty ruthless about throwing away.
Paperwork does not need to be overwhelming. Try these and let me know what you think. Or let me know if you have a favorite system for paperwork!
xo
Mary