|
Take Small Steps towards healthier changes
|
|
|
|
Managing Paper Clutter
|
September 2009
|
|
Aloha,
Paper, full of wonderful possibilities and opportunities. For you, the beauty of paper may be in the printed word or the information it imparts (this includes photos). It may also be the texture, the feel of it beneath your fingers, that draw you in and makes it difficult to let go. Paper, in all its forms (mail, flyers, notes, photos, books, newspaper, magazines, note cards, stationary) is one of the most commonly mentioned clutter issue. It's no wonder since there is so much paper coming at you and paper requires a decision to move it forward. Do you... - Read it? (information you need?)
- Take action? (what? when?)
- File it? (keep it? where? how long?)
- Let go of it? (recycle, trash, pass it on)
Each piece of paper is a decision to make. Think about the small space that paper takes up. A ream of paper is 500 decisions to make in a 2" high pile. A banker's box holds 6 reams or 3000 decisions. So forgive yourself if you're feeling overwhelmed just thinking about going through your own pile of papers. Here are some things to think about and maybe try.
|
|
YESTERDAY'S SOLUTION
|
|
Is your paper system based on your life 20 years ago?
How
many of you grew up and spent most of your reading life pre-Internet? Maybe your attachment to your papers is tied to the fact that as you grew
up, having information was based almost completely on keeping that
information at hand in the form of newspapers, magazines, books,
articles, pamphlets & scraps of paper. If you can easily find that
information someplace else, let go of the paper. In this age of Internet access, where newspapers, magazines and reliable information
sources are a few keystrokes away, begin to move your own information
system into the present day and let go of the paper form where you can.
|
FILING -- GO VERTICAL
|
|
There are other ways to file
Pile with dividers. If you pile with intention and understanding of your system, then using file folders to divide your stack can help you identify where one "project" begins and another ends. You can also use clip on tabs to identify the section. There are products available at your local office supply store that are specifically made for piling. Remember though, maintenance of your system is still required.
Stack with sorters. Using a literature or document sorter to organize your files is a great way to go vertical and still see your categories. As with all systems, establish a maintenance routine to keep it in order.
Sort and store with drawers. If you have the space for those towers of plastic drawers, they may be perfect for projects or larger categories. The drawers provide easy access and a built in maintenance reminder (if you can't close the drawer -- it's time to go through it). And if you are a visual person the clear drawer fronts provide a quick view of what's inside in addition to the label.
|
|
READ OR ACTION REQUIRED -- but not yet
|
|
Idea Box
When you come across a great article that you know you will want to reference later, where do you put it? How do you remember you have it?
Try creating an Idea Box. Check out Tips & Tricks, September 2007 for details.
|
|
Whether you read it, file it or toss it, take time to enjoy the journey.
Sincerely,
Shawndra
808.969.3800
www.dhucks.com
|
Information is a source of learning. But unless it is organized, processed, and available to the right people in a format for decision making, it is a burden, not a benefit.
William Pollard
|
|
|
|
|
Let us help you get your 