The Ultimate Guide To Decluttering Papers

After years of working with students to tackle their clutter, I can confidently say that decluttering papers is hands-down one of the biggest challenges. It’s tedious, time-consuming, and, let’s be honest, no one really enjoys sorting through piles of paper. But trust me, the effort is absolutely worth it!

My biggest recommendation? Go paperless. That’s why I created my program, Leaf to Screen, which walks you through the process of going completely paperless in just one day. It’s a game-changer for eliminating paper clutter and creating a more streamlined, organized space.

Regardless, in this post, you’re going to learn everything you need to get started decluttering your paper clutter right away. Let’s dive in and take those first steps toward a paper-free, stress-free space!

The Problem with Paper Clutter

Decluttering papers is such a universal struggle because paper clutter comes at us from every direction. Think about it:

• Mail: bills, statements, government documents, insurance policies, school updates, local coupons, and magazines.
• Important Documents: Social Security cards, birth certificates, licenses.
• Sentimental Papers: kids’ artwork, school projects, cards from loved ones.
• Daily Slips: receipts, notes, random phone numbers you jotted down in a hurry.

It’s a never-ending cycle, which is why paper clutter is always at the top of my list of decluttering priorities. If it feels overwhelming, you’re not alone. So, what are you supposed to do with all this paper?

The Mindset

Let me be honest—my mindset about paper is pretty straightforward: I don’t like it! I don’t want to deal with piles of it, and personally, I feel much safer having my documents securely uploaded to the cloud. But our beliefs about paper often run deeper than mere inconvenience, and those beliefs can keep us stuck.

In my post, The Only Way to Stay Clutter-Free For Good, I talk about how our habits and beliefs influence the clutter we hold onto. Paper is no exception. Think about it:

• Do you believe it’s irresponsible not to keep physical copies of documents like tax forms or medical bills?
• Do you feel like a bad parent if you don’t save every single piece of your kids’ artwork?

We don’t hang onto piles of paper “just because.” It all ties back to the deeper beliefs we hold about ourselves and the world. These beliefs shape what we think is necessary to keep and what feels too hard to let go of.

The good news? You can shift those beliefs. By challenging outdated mindsets and adopting a fresh perspective, you can make real progress in decluttering papers from your home.

#1. First and Foremost, Go Green

The first step in decluttering papers is simple: go green. Before you even think about filing, focus on eliminating the need for paper entirely. Most businesses allow—and even prefer—online billing, so take advantage of it.

Yes, setting up online accounts might take a little time, especially if it’s new to you. But trust me, the mental relief and simplicity of managing your bills digitally far outweigh the effort of getting started.

Here’s a step-by-step plan to get all your bills online in one sitting:

1. Gather your paper bills. Collect them into a pile near your computer or phone. If you have months of the same bill, stack them by the sender.
2. Locate account details. Use the website and account number listed on the first bill for each sender.
3. Create online accounts. Find the ‘Register/Signup/Create New Account’ area on the company’s website and follow the prompts using the account number from your bill.
4. Keep track of credentials. Open a spreadsheet or notepad to record usernames and passwords—this step is a lifesaver!
5. Bookmark pages. Save each company’s login page in a browser folder labeled “Bills” for easy access.
6. Opt for paperless statements. Often, you’ll be prompted to go paperless during registration. If not, find this option in your account settings.

This isn’t about filing papers—it’s about eliminating them. In most cases, you don’t need more storage for paper; you need less paper to store! Going green is the ultimate way to declutter, streamline, and simplify your life.

By setting up paperless systems, you’ll reduce paper clutter at the source, freeing up your physical space and your mental energy. It’s a win-win! 🌿

#2. Unnecessary Subscriptions

When decluttering papers, tackling unnecessary subscriptions is a must. All those magazines, catalogs, and bulk mailers not only pile up—they take over your space.

The simplest solution? Cancel the subscriptions you no longer need. Most companies let you do this easily online. Yes, it might take a little time upfront, but the payoff is huge when the bulk mail stops cramming into your mailbox.

Here’s how to unsubscribe from junk mail effectively:

1. Check the front and back of the junk mail for opt-out instructions—they’re often listed in fine print.
2. Use Catalog Choice or DMA Choice, two excellent opt-out services, to unsubscribe from unwanted magazines, catalogs, and certain advertisements.

If you love receiving subscriptions, keep it simple by sticking to one or two favorites at a time. Donate or recycle the rest after you’re done reading them. After all, how often are you really going to revisit last month’s magazine? Keeping this habit will help you stay on top of clutter and prevent it from building up again.

Decluttering papers starts with cutting off the source. By canceling unnecessary subscriptions, you’re taking a proactive step toward a clutter-free mailbox and home.

#3. Digitize

When it comes to decluttering papers, digitizing is a game-changer. Thanks to the internet, the need for bulky filing cabinets has all but disappeared. In fact, all of my physical paper documents fit into a single 1/2-inch black binder. The rest? It’s stored securely online.

If you’ve been hesitant to embrace digital filing, let me encourage you to rethink it. Physical copies are vulnerable to damage from coffee spills, curious pets, and disasters like floods or fires.

By going digital, you’re actually protecting your important information and reducing the clutter in your space.

Here’s how to start digitizing your documents:

1. Sort Your Papers: Separate the ones you must keep as hard copies (e.g., social security cards and birth certificates) from those you can digitize.
2. Choose a Digital Storage Option: Save your files in a reliable storage solution, such as a folder on your computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, or a similar platform (or steal mine below).
3. Start Scanning: Upload your documents using a scanner or a mobile scanning app. Organize them into folders for easy access.
4. Secure Your Files: Consider backing up your digital files to ensure they’re safe and accessible, no matter what happens to your devices.

I cover this in much more detail in Leaf to Screen. I share my favorite tools and app displays, and you'll get my own personal, done-for-you digital filing cabinet to make the process simple and stress-free! 

#4. Necessary Hard Copies

What about the documents you really have to keep a physical copy of? For those few hard-copy papers that the government still requires (we’ll eventually catch up with the digital age), simplicity is key.

In this guide to decluttering papers, I want to emphasize that keeping hard copies doesn’t have to be complicated. I use a single, slim binder that fits neatly on my bookshelf—no bulky filing cabinets or over-the-top systems required. Inside, each person in the household gets one manila folder, and that’s it!

This minimalist approach saves space and makes it easy to find what you need without overthinking organization. When you’ve digitized the rest, managing the few essential hard copies becomes simple and stress-free.

#5. Sentimental Papers

Sentimental papers can add up quickly—think thoughtful occasion cards, cherished photos, and an endless stream of artwork from your kids.

In our home, we use memory boxes, and I can’t recommend them enough!

These are large, decorated boxes where we store the valuable, sentimental items we’ve chosen to keep over the years. For example, in mine and Matt’s memory box, we have:

• Some of our favorite wedding cards.
• Our vows.
• Tons of handmade cards from the girls that we absolutely treasure.

I love memory boxes because they’re both practical and pretty—they look great with the decor, hold quite a lot, and, best of all, prevent sentimental papers from being scattered all over the house.

You may have papers that are cool enough to display or pop in an art-changing frame!

There are certainly other ways to manage sentimental papers, but I’m all about keeping things simple. Memory boxes let you preserve what matters most without adding unnecessary complexity.

If paper clutter is overwhelming you, I dive even deeper into streamlining all types of papers in Leaf to Screen. This program walks you through everything you need to go paperless in just one day, including tools, apps, and a done-for-you digital filing cabinet. It’s the ultimate way to handle not just sentimental papers but all paper clutter, once and for all. 💻✨