Do you dread going to the mailbox? Is there a stack of mail piling up on your counter that you are trying to ignore? Maybe you have trouble paying bills on time, and you even have the money to pay them. More of us deal with this than you might think.
With so much on our plate, it can easy to let things slip through the cracks. You make promises to yourself that you will catch up tomorrow, but for many different reasons, it just doesn’t happen. Before long there is an overwhelming stack of mail screaming for your attention.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to not stress over paying your bills? What if you knew exactly where your updated insurance information was, and you could grab it at a moment’s notice. No more scrambling through papers to find the right one.
Effective Paper Decluttering System
I want to share a system that has worked best for me. Even if you already have a good system, you might find some of these tips helpful to tweak your own process.
- Put incoming mail in one defined spot and immediately throw away junk mail.
- Take 10 minutes everyday to address the mail. Sign any forms, file paperwork, or pay a bill.
- Have a station set up for this. Somewhere next to your filing system, with the necessary supplies handy. Things like your check book, stamps, and envelopes. Have a trash bin, or shredder if close by. Pin paperwork that you have to follow up with on a bulletin board or the fridge. Everyday, you need to address it. If not, it slowly blends into the scenery and you can forget about it.
- Pay bills online through your bank. It will be less passwords to keep up with.
- Set a goal to pay your bills as soon as you receive them.
Having a system in place will eliminate the stress of remembering to complete important documents and pay bills on time. You will know where documents are when you need them. Taking just a few minutes will allow you to take a big step towards feeling organized.
