3 Tips for Going Paperless in Your Home Office
Excessive clutter can not only clog up your home office and physical space but can also overwhelm your mind as well. To reduce this internal and external clutter, many people are going paperless. Piles of mail and assorted documents are a large contributing factor to clutter but making the decisions to toss or shred old documents, receipts, or billing statements is challenging for some people. After all, you never know when you might need those files again! This NYC Professional Office Organizer’s three tips for going paperless in your home office will help you develop the confidence to more quickly address the paper declutter in your workspace.
Digitize Documents
The reluctance to get rid of the paper often stems from the worry that you may need to reference the information again in the future. Digitizing your documents removes the worry and enables you to reference the files whenever necessary. Start by sorting your documents into piles… those to be saved and those to be tossed or shredded. You can then scan and upload these documents for digital storage on your computer or a digital storage site. Not only is digitizing your documents a great way to ensure they retain their quality throughout the years, but it also makes it much easier to quickly retrieve and share them with clients and business partners.
Purge Paper Clutter
Once you’ve sorted trash from the keepers, you can dispose of the unnecessary paper cluttering up your office. Most paper is recyclable, so that’s the best place to start when ridding your office of unnecessary clutter. Bear in mind that some paper products will not be accepted for recycling. This includes any paper products that are coated in wax, plastic, or foil. For documents that may contain more sensitive information don’t just toss them as-is. Instead, shred these documents so your company’s most private and personal information is protected. Purging paper clutter will not only help make your home office more functional and habitable, but it will also start your journey into the paperless world on the right foot. Creating a list of the type of documents that should be saved and those that should be shredded will help you make better decisions regarding clutter in the future. You’ll be less likely to let papers pile up and will lose far fewer documents to the maze of papers around your office.
Switch to Digital Services
One of the best tips for going paperless in your home office is to cut out paper clutter at the source. Receipts, junk mail, and duplicate documents can quickly overtake your office. Switching over to digital services, therefore, will help eliminate these unwanted paper products immediately. Many businesses now offer digital receipts in lieu of paper, and most banks offer completely digital banking services. Switching to digital services will not only reduce the amount of paper cluttering up your home office, but it will also make managing your accounts much quicker and easier. You’ll be able to access and adjust your account information from any location with the simple click of a button.
For more office organizing strategies and support, reach out to your NYC Professional Office Organizer today.