TL/DR:
- It’s 2026; I promise you don’t need all that paper
- You can process paper using a modified “one touch rule”
- Scan (from your phone!) to clear physical clutter fast
- Batch process paper to save time and energy
The Whole Shebang:
I know you’re drowning in email.
But are you also drowning in paper?
Paper overload has been a (somewhat surprising to me, actually) topic coming up in a lot of my coaching sessions recently.
So maybe you’re struggle with it, too.
- Perhaps it’s a huge stack of unopened mail.
- Or a stack of mail that’s been opened, that you need to do something with, but haven’t yet.
- Or perhaps you’ve got little kids and your dining room table is buried under a mountain of artwork you don’t want to toss, but aren’t sure what to do with.
No matter the source of the paper, I’ve got you covered!
So let’s talk about how to tame the paper dragon.
What you’re gonna do is a modified version of the one touch rule.
Here’s how it works:
For every piece of paper that comes into your orbit, you’re gonna do one of 5 things:
- Toss or Shred
Let’s face it, a lot of the paper that comes into your house is mail. And most mail is junk you don’t need.
You can take some steps to limit the junk that comes into your mailbox, but it won’t stop everything.
So, if you don’t need it, toss it.
And, if you’re paranoid like me, take the extra step to shred anything that has your name and address on it.
- Scan, then Toss or Shred
If the paper is something that you want to keep, but don’t need in physical form, scan it.
This is things like account statements, or even your kids’ art.
(I know, I know, you want to keep it all. But you can’t. Just wait to toss the originals until they’re asleep.
And by all means keep SOME of it, the best ones, for display or keepsake.
But let’s be real, not every finger painting is a masterpiece and I can guarantee you that your kids will not want all the art you stored for them in your attic/basement when they’re 30. Still don’t trust me? How do YOU feel about all those boxes of your childhood stuff you parents try to foist on you at every turn??)
Don’t have a scanner? No problem!
If you use Google Drive, you can scan to jpeg or PDF directly from your phone using the Google Drive app (totally free), directly into the folder of your choice, with a filename of your choice..
If you use some other cloud storage, then there are a few great scanning apps for a a1 time payment of a few bucks that will allow you to scan from your phone to Dropbox, iCloud, etc. Scanbot or Scanner Pro are both are highly.
And, if you want to get fewer account statements and such, you can generally login to your online accounts and switch to paperless billing/statements.
- Do the related task, then scan, then toss or shred
For things like bills you need to pay or permission slips you need to sign, just do it. It will generally take less than 2 minutes, whatever it is. And if you need a copy digially, then scan it, and then toss or shred.
- Scan, then toss or shred, and add the related task to your task system with a clear next action and a next action date (And if you don’t have a task system yet, I can help with that!)
And if the paper represents something you need to do, but can’t do now for whatever reason, then scan it, toss or shred the original, and add the related task to your task system with a clear next action and a realistic next action date.
- Scan it and file the original (use sparingly)
There are some (very few) types of paper where you’re going to want to keep the original and have a scanned back up.
Things like birth certificates and deeds. But these are exceedingly rare.
For these types of things, scan that back up, and file it somewhere safe.
I like to keep stuff like this in a safe deposit box at the bank.
And one final tip:
Batch process the paper. It’ll be less onerous.
As paper comes in, drop it in a basket.
Then, once a week, process it all at once.
It’ll likely take less than 5 minutes total.
And for the backlog of paper you already have?
Batch process that too. And pair the task with your favorite guilty-pleasure TV show.
This is one of the very few times I’ll suggest multi-tasking, because processing a backlog of paper is quite honestly a bit of a drag.
And pairing it with guilty-pleaasure media will make the pleasure feel less guilty, and the task of processing the paper way less boring.
So, that’s it! Have I convinced you that dealing with all that paper isn’t that big of a deal?
When you’ve got a clear process, and a concrete next step, everything is infinitely easier.
Pinky promise.
And, if you think there’s a category of paper that doesn’t fit neatly into the categories I’ve described above, just hit reply and tell me about it, and we can noodle on it together.
(Yes, seriously, I love a reply; I’m a real person over here sending my thoughts into the void, and when you email me to let me know that something resonated with you or ask a question, or challenge me on something, that makes me really happy!)