Paper Survival Tip #4: Pruning

Before anyone can make a decision about trimming paper from their lives, a few questions need to be answered.

What does it prove?

What is the reason for keeping it?

Is there a consequence if I don’t have it?

When was the last time I needed it?

Is this information still current?

Could I scan and keep electronically?

Can I find this info elsewhere?

If you have a lot of junk mail coming into your home, then the best way to keep from even having to ask yourself these questions is to not even let that type of paper into your home.  Junk mail not only causes a huge increase in the amount of decisions that you have to make about your paper, but it also is a huge burden on the Earth. I'll talk more about junk mail in another blog, but some very quick tips to eliminate it from your life are to opt out or sign up with a service that will do it for you such as MailStopper.

In the meantime, the best way to help get your paper piles smaller so you don't feel so overwhelmed, is to simply pull out all of the junk mail and recycle or shred it. That information will find its way to you again when you are ready for it. Even if you cannot bring yourself to getting rid of the junk mail just getting it separated from the other paper will help greatly. Box or bag it up and place it out of the way for now.

Next, take out anything non-paper related. That means the sacks, books, crayons, etc. Now, the paper isn't quite as intimidating is it?  Oh I know there is still plenty there but let's just focus on one thing at a time.

Next up, let's talk about Paper System Survival.