If you are drowning in piles of paper or overwhelmed with clutter, like it or not, it’s time for you to get organized. People spend an average of 22 minutes a day looking for things around, or on, their desks. Now is the time to schedule those lost minutes into productive activities to get rid of the miles of piles.

A Word About Prevention

Paper is a fact of life and always will be, arriving every day in one form or another. A major key to avoiding the avalanche in the first place is your ability to answer the question, “Where does it all come from?” Subscriptions, catalogs, ads/coupons, memos, faxes, letters, reports and bills are just a few of the obvious categories. Once you know where the bulk of unnecessary paper is coming from, you can take preventive measures to reduce the flow; for example, cancel subscriptions, request that your name be removed from mailing lists, and have people send you e-mails instead of memos. (For more ideas, see my article, “Are You Ready for Change?”) 

First Step on the Road to Paper Control

Schedule a block of time when you can work without interruption. Be sure to have large trash containers close by. Get yourself mentally ready to attack. Ready — set — go! 

Scoop everything together in a central location. Ask yourself…”Do I really need this?”

• No…Then toss it (that’s what the trash containers are for) or recycle.

• No…Cancel the subscription.

• No...If you ever do need it, you can find it elsewhere.

• No…It’s old or out of date.

• Not all of it…You can cut out the article and throw away the magazine.

• No…You can delegate or pass on the information.

• Maybe…Toss into a big box to sort through later. If later never comes, then guess what?…toss it in the trash or recycle.

• Yes…Okay, when? Only immediate action paper goes back on your desk. 

Building an Effective Paperwork System

Begin to categorize and prioritize what is left after de-cluttering. Ask yourself.. “What do I do with it? What categories and systems do I need in place to keep ME in control?” Be sure to take into consideration everything you typically DO with paper — behaviors and habits as well as scraps, notes, reports and files. Above all, refrain from using your desk as a “convenient” filing system.

Active papers are those that are used most often — daily or several times a week. These belong in active files that are readily accessible — within or next to your desk. Active files become parts of your paperwork system. To expedite filing and retrieval, it is important to have your filing system set up so that the labels match your “what-do-I-do-with-it” categories, e.g., Clients, Marketing, Reference, Projects, Accounting. Remember to keep the paper flowing to its final destination.

Inactive papers are those used infrequently. If at all possible, keep them out of your office. Otherwise relegate them to a file cabinet or bookcase in the least accessible location — top shelves or the back of file drawers. If archival, get them offsite. 

Capture Incoming Paper in One Location

Design a place for incoming materials and mark clearly. Schedule a time to attack the “inbox” each day. Decide whether to do it, file it, delegate it, delay it, or read it. Organizational guru Stephanie Winston claims that the key to paper management is processing — channeling each piece from your inbox to its appropriate destination. 

Last but not least, remember that you can enter those papers into computer files. Depending on your level of comfort, turn paper into bits and bytes, but remember to set up your hard drive with the same systems that you use for paper management.

I like what Stephanie Culp says in her book, You Can Find More Time for Yourself Every Day. “Whether it’s the piles of paper in your office or the clutter in your home, getting organized is a major time-saver. Eliminate what you don’t need, organize the things that you must keep, and put some simple systems into place to keep things from getting out of control in the future.”

About the Author

Sally Allen, a certified professional organizer, is CEO and owner of A Place for Everything©. Since founding her company in 1997, Sally has helped individuals and companies throughout the U.S. effectively arrange space and efficiently manage time. A recognized expert in the field, Sally learned her organizing skills while employed by Marriott International Hotels and Resorts, the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Committee, the 1996 Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, and through moving her family 19 times. Phone: (303) 526-5367  Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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