Decluttering & Shredding Paper Piles {15 Minute Mission}
Today's mission is all about decluttering and shredding paper piles.
This is actually a mission that I've listed several times on the declutter calendar each year. The reason is pretty obvious -- most of us can't clear away all these paper piles in just one 15 minute session.
This is the kind of mission you just have to do, over and over again, slowly but surely, and those piles will diminish little by little.
It can feel overwhelming going through huge stacks of paper. That's why I suggest breaking it down into 15 minute segments. Work on it for 10 minutes, and then clean up, file or dispose or papers for the last 5 minutes.
After that 15 minute session if you want to do another one, go for it. But if not, be done for a while, and enjoy that you cleaned up your mess as you went so things are not in a worse state than when you started.
Here's some resources for you to use when you declutter paper:
Below I've also attached some pictures from others who've already taken on this mission. I hope these photos will help inspire you to tackle your own paper clutter and slowly, but surely, get rid of it!
In addition, another Declutter 365 participant, Laurale, wrote a comment celebrating that using this method, of 15 minutes at a time decluttering various paper piles in her home, a project that had lasted many years finally got completed!
Laurale said: "I can't believe I get to say this -- My papers are decluttered and shredded. A many year project is complete!"
All these pics are from a reader, Cindie. She says, "I'm getting there."
Yes you are Cindie! So proud of you. I can tell you've put in a lot of work, with lots of 15 minute sessions, but you definitely are making great progress!
Zena sent in this before and after photo, saying, "I'm so excited. I de-cluttered our "landing zone" and made a tickler file too!!
The photo on the left is before.
I explained the file to my friend and she said it is organization on crack. I'm so excited to use it. Wish me luck!!"
Once you've done quite a few of these missions you'll begin to accumulate a lot of paper for the recycling bin, and for the shredder.
Above is a photo from a reader, Clarissa, who shredded a bunch of her paper clutter, along with doing a bunch of other decluttering. She said, "Those four bags in the front are full of shredded paper! Yay!!!"
Are You Ready To Declutter Your Home?
I hope seeing these pictures has inspired you to declutter and shred your paper piles.
When you begin to declutter the feeling you get is contagious, so if you're loving the results you're getting I would encourage you to keep going.
Just pick and choose the ones you want to do, that will make a big impact in your home. But if you want someone else to tell you the order you can also grab the 15 minute daily decluttering mission calendars and follow along as we all get our homes clutter free together!
You see stuff on Facebook all the time but this site and the 15 minute decluttering is the best! Was totally amazed how you can apply it in everything you do and it keeps you going. Everything gets done without a ton of stress, try it!
Taking care of paper piles to shred by: Maura S
A while ago I started my mission of decluttering my filing cabinets. The amount of paper to destroy was enormous and I did not think that my shredder would keep up with it. I thought about burning the papers, but my son reminded me that I would pollute the air. So, I found another solution. I soak the paper in a bucket full of water and a little amount of glue. When there is enough of it, I take it out, just as if I was doing papier-mache', press it altogether and let it dry. Then I can safely put it in the paper recycling bin and nobody will be able to read what's on it. I hope this will help someone.
just thinking of all the paper makes me go argghhhh! by: Sandra
I just know my file cabinet is filled with unnecessarily kept bills, etc, and then the piles of kids' schoolwork and artwork ---- argh!
chuck it! by: Jennifer
If you can get it online, chuck it. If it's outdated, chuck it. If you can't immediately think of how you could realistically use it, chuck it.
great info! by: Paula
Thanks everyone for your great ideas! I am going through 30 years of boxes of papers and feel totally overwhelmed! This is good information!!
decluttering school and art papers by: Lizbeth
I keep tax documents, medical and dental related stuff and rent and utility receipts. Any of my banking or bills which I can access online I shred. Having some of it online or scanned onto my computer helps.
Growing up my mom had us sort though art and school work to decide what to keep and what to give away to grandparents, aunts and uncles. It got paper out of her house and kept the extended family in the loop with how we did in school. She usually had us do it on weekends or school breaks. The stuff we wanted to keep she put in frames on the wall. We kids each had 4 frames and as we grew we wanted to post new or better art or grades anyway since we saw it everyday. The work taken out of the frames was stashed in a box until the end off the year when we decided what to keep long term. I'm 28 and still have the box of my proudest K through 12 schoolwork; except for not wanting to fold some of the larger art it all fits in a shoe box.
shredding company by: Susan
Check to see if your town has a shredding program. Ours sets up a truck a couple times a year that is free or reduced for residents. When disposing of 30 years of paperwork it's much nicer to take a carload of boxes and let them shred them!
scanning is the way to go by: Vicki
I keep a portable hard drive where I save scans of all important papers. No need to save the actual paper unless it's an original document (deed, car title, etc.)
Purge regularly by: Yvonne
One file cabinet, go through it once per year. Paperless billing and pay bills online, best way to cut down in paper and save in postage. :0)
I'm bad about not filing what I keep by: Alivia
I'm HORRIBLE with paper! I want to ban it from my house! I just leave them in a few piles stacked (try anyway). Another problem I have though is after I go through all of it and throw out the trash I leave them in a pile to go put in my filing cabinet and it doesn't seem to make it there. I'm going to check out the links that are on here. And try to follow others' advice. I'm so sick of clutter!!
I found some really old papers! by: Janie
I just found medical bills when my daughter was born. (She turned 17 last month).
F.A.T. It by: Gerald
Start at the beginning; when it comes in only handle it once.
F.A.T. it: File, Act, or Trash it.
scan everything by: Stephanie
I went through Hurricane Katrina. So, since then I scan everything (fujitsu is the best!!) and save to my computer and backup to the cloud.
My biggest problem by: Theresa
The more I try to organize paper the more comes into our home. We now have a new big stack of hospital, doctor and other medical bills and insurance paper from my husbands recent illness. I am taking a day of work just to try to get through this stuff before it takes over my entire home. Any suggestions?
Got rid of 3 Boxes in 2 Days by: Pam
Recently sold my home, moved in with my Mom (I have been taking care of her for past 3 years), transferred things to new address, and bought new car. I put packing boxes into a storage unit and I get 2 or 3 out a week to sort through. This week I emptied 4 file boxes and used one to keep papers I will need. My Mom and I shredded all day for 2 days! The best part - seeing empty boxes!
Shredding by: Amy
Every time I think I have surely gone through all my old papers--a new box or 2 shows up. I have two tall kitchen waste baskets with liners. One holds papers to shred, the other has all other papers for recycling. There are a couple of places that do shredding, but I take mine to the workshop of disabled adults. They charge by weight, and when I had a large quantity to shred--it didn't even cost $10!! When my bag is full, I take it to the workshop-the charge is a couple of dollars, but I just give them $5 since it's for a good cause.
I feel like my home is 500 pounds lighter!!!! by: Vera Guthrie
Our attic was full of boxes of old bills paid for us, my mother, and my mother in law. We went full on attack and got all the bins down (11) full to the top. Went through them found stuff back to 1981. When we finished dumping we had two rolling recycle cans full to be shredded (took to a shred company.) We now have from those 31 years of stuff in a filing cabinet that only takes up 1/2 of a drawer! I sooo wish I had taken a photo!!! Now I have empty plastic bins to use for organizing other areas--Rule we made NOTHING goes to the attic!!!! I feel like my home is 500 pounds lighter!!!!