Downsize Your Clutter by Going Digital

If you're like most people, you probably have far more clutter than you'd like. You probably have stacks of paper and items that you don't really need but can't bear to part with stashed in various places throughout your home. In many cases, a digital solution can really help get these messes under control. If you have access to a scanner, a home computer and a stack of CDs or DVDs, you're well on your way to a neater and more organized life.

Dealing with Paper Clutter

Although a truly "paperless" office is still just a dream for most people, there are definitely ways that you can digitize a good portion of your paper mess. One CD or DVD can hold an amazing amount of data. If you think about the amount of storage space required for a CD or DVD in comparison to the boxes of paper you currently have sitting around your home, it's easy to see the advantages of scanning. However, the job might seem so big that you simply don't know where to start.

Handling Important Documents

It can be helpful to think about the different kinds of paper that you currently have. In the case of important documents, you probably do need to keep the paper originals. However, it can still be helpful to scan these important documents as a backup to the originals. Scan the documents then store the originals in a safe location such as a fireproof lockbox. You might even want to store these important documents in a safety deposit box at your local bank.

Dealing with Everything Else

Once the extremely important documents are out of the way, you can turn your attention to the rest of your paper clutter. Start by dividing everything into categories, such as recipes , magazine clippings, receipts, owner's manuals and photos. Then, give some thought as to how you'd like to organize and store these items. For example, you might want to sort receipts by date, scan them, and then discard the originals. In the case of photos, you might want to first sort them by subject matter or date. Once they have been scanned, it's probably unlikely that you'd just want to discard the originals. Instead, place them in an album or scrapbook so that they can be enjoyed, secure in the knowledge that you now have digital backups.

If you find yourself constantly clipping recipes out of magazines but never having them handy when it's time to cook dinner, a digital solution can help. Instead of digging through stacks of clipped recipes , imagine how handy it would be to simply look through organized files on your computer. Create a "digital recipe box" with folders for different food categories, such as salads, meats, vegetables, breads and desserts. Or, perhaps a filing system focused on the main ingredient such as chicken, green beans or apples would work best. You could then easily locate a recipe that matches what you have to work with in your pantry or refrigerator. If you have an outdated laptop computer sitting unused around your home, you could even devote it to kitchen use to make it easier to access your digital recipe box.