Skip to main content

Eliminate Paper Clutter One Sheet at a Time

I remember what the missing item is from this past weekend's Ten Things of Thankful post!  I'm thankful for empty boxes--specifically, boxes that used to house all sorts of papers that I do not need to keep.
 
I have a paper problem.  Paper gives me books, sheet music, letters from loved ones.  Whenever I need to think, I grab a paper and pen.  Paper allows me to plan for the future, whether that future be a trip to the grocery store or how to meet a goal.  I still keep a paper pocket calendar in my purse, as I have not made the jump to digital calendaring yet. 

I was born in the typewriter generation, but am now living in tablet time.  I love to hold books in my hand, but I read most often on a Kindle.  I've embraced online banking, and have come to realize that it is not necessary to save every "important" paper forever.  

Last week, I was able to dispose of the equivalent of two filing boxes of paper:  warranties for appliances I no longer own, bills which were paid in the last millennium, and other miscellaneous papers which serve no purpose in my house.  

I am not done yet purging paper, but I've made a start, and that makes me happy.

photo visiting2_zps6d4521f3.jpg

photo ThankfulThought4_zps7d9599c2.jpg
Thanks for paper, and for papers I no longer need to keep.

photo signature3_zps16be6bca.jpg


Pin It

Comments

  1. NancyJanuary 14, 2014 at 12:19 PM

    I am purging photographs - scanning them as electronic files and sending the originals on to my nieces and nephews so they can become the guardians of the family history.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ChristineJanuary 14, 2014 at 6:35 PM

    Ha! I always remember things much later and yell, "Oh yeah!" Did you do that? :)
    Paper clutter makes me crazy. Why do children require so much paper???
    Good for you, cleaning out the paper. I leave the files to my husband. I would be happy to throw most of the stuff he keeps away.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rozy LassJanuary 14, 2014 at 8:02 PM

    Please write more! I need some strategies and encouragement. Paper is my bugaboo!

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownJanuary 15, 2014 at 9:55 PM

    I am slowly but surely shredding bank statements from 10 years ago!!! Yes -- more encouragement!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Conversations are so much nicer when more than one person does the talking. :-) Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts; I'd love to hear from you!

Popular posts from this blog

Ten Things of Thankful: 39 Years Edition

A political map of the world circa 1987. The Soviet Union takes up a sizable portion. A lot has happened in the last 39 years. The Berlin Wall came down. The Soviet Union collapsed. The Twin Towers fell. Technology has changed: landlines and phone booths are practically extinct, and random questions can be answered in seconds by asking Google, Siri, or Alexa. No longer do drivers keep the Thomas Guide in their cars; navigation systems will give turn-by-turn directions, and recalculate when the driver doesn't follow the directions. Some cars don't even need drivers. While many shoppers do their shopping in-person, some simply log into Amazon and have their item show up on their doorstep--sometimes within hours.  I've seen pieces of the Berlin Wall. I've traveled to places that used to be behind the Iron Curtain. I've been to Ground Zero. I no longer have a house phone, and have looked up the answers to countless questions using my cell phone. I do not miss the stress...
5 comments
Read more

Ten Things of Thankful: April Showers Edition

  A red peony bud prepares to open fully  After an incredibly dry winter, we had a bit of precipitation this past week, in the form of falling snow. We didn't have much, and it didn't really stick, but we'll take water however it wants to come. Fortunately, my peonies seem unaffected by the cold snap, and are ready to put on a show here soon. 1. I'm thankful for moisture. 2. I'm thankful the flowers are still going to bloom. I don't know how the colder temperatures will affect the fruit crops. The strawberries look like they are still planning to set fruit. We'll have to see what happens with the peach, apricot, pear, and apple. (The apricot only bears heavily every other year anyway, and I think this is an "off" year--though I could be wrong.) Strawberry plants in full bloom 3. I'm thankful for anticipated berries.  We continue to clear out and otherwise prepare John's parents' house for sale. I've been going through old photos and...
8 comments
Read more

Monday Mentions: Equate Crutches

Have you ever needed crutches? I hadn't, until a week ago.  I'm pretty sure I strained a muscle while running a half-marathon.  (That sounds kind of cool, doesn't it? I'm not actually that cool; the last time I strained a muscle it was from carrying too many shopping bags at once.) In any case, I found myself in need of some crutches. I sent my husband to the store to get some. Photo: A pair of crutches leans against a wall  Not that crutches are all that complex, but because I hadn't used any before, I wondered if I could figure out how to adjust them to fit me properly. I shouldn't have worried. John came home from Walmart with their generic store brand of crutches, complete with instructions. First, I needed to take out a long bolt that went through the hand grip. Then I needed to find my height range, push down two metal pieces, and slide the crutches until the little metal pieces came up in the hole near my height range. (Having two people for this...
4 comments
Read more