Tame Your Paper Tigers And Take Control Of Your Paperwork

Tame Your Paper Tigers And Take Control Of Your Paperwork

Professional Organiser and APDO member, Jules Langford from Cluttered To Cleared, shares her tips and tricks to help tackle that daunting paperwork and how to keep the paper tigers at bay.

Do drifts of paper fill your house like falling autumn leaves?

Is so, you’re not alone.  For many people paperwork is the pits yet tackling it terrifies them. 
How can a pile of mortgage statements, magazines and takeaway menus exert such power?
Let’s look at some of the reasons and look at how you can face up to your fears. 

1) You feel powerless to stem the paper flowing into your home

The influx may feel beyond your control, but there’s plenty you can do to turn the tide.  
Start by thinking twice before picking up those colorful leaflets and fliers.  Instead, access information online.   
Do you read a free newspaper on your commute home?  Make a habit of popping it in the recycling when you get home. 
Is last month's magazine still in cellophane when the new issue arrives?  Consider cancelling your subscription.   
This type of paper feeds on the “fear of missing out”.  But the only thing you are missing out on is a clutter-free home.

2) You are daunted by the thought of decision-making

A pile of ten jumpers may look high, but you still only need to make ten decluttering decisions to clear it.
Imagine a pile of paperwork the same size.  How many decisions will you need to make now? It's easy to see why that would put a person off even starting. 
90% of the pile will probably be shredding. But you still need to check each piece to ensure next month’s wedding invitation doesn’t end up as confetti along with the hair-dressing leaflets and the circular for stair lifts. 
Reduce the pain by breaking the task into bite-sized chunks.  Set a timer and power your way through a small pile at a time.  

3) You fear what might be lurking within

It's not uncommon for people to be so scared of what they might find that they can’t even look. 
The older and larger the pile, the more certain they are that kicking the paper hornets’ nest will disturb a swarm of unpaid bills, expired cheques and unanswered invitations. 
Reassure yourself that the reality is far more mundane.  If you haven’t been taken to court, assume you received a later bill and it’s been paid.  Expired cheques can often be reissued. And if you did miss your school reunion, well, there will always be another one. 
Be brave and tackle it.  My bet is that your biggest danger is being bored to tears. 

Yes, paperwork can be tedious and time consuming.   But the thought is far worse that the reality. So step up and tame your paper tigers today!

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