A few weeks ago I set out to reform my towering pile of papers. It was an overwhelming catastrophe.
When I gathered all of the papers together, they buried my dining table. The problems were clear: I saved too many cards and letters, and I had not dealt with incoming papers that should have been tossed sooner.
The grand theme for this makeover was:
Why do I still have this?
When I was younger and single I could save everything, because it wasn’t too much really. I thought it was nice to keep records just in case, and I took pride in how organized it all was.
Gradually as life became busier, I didn’t have time to maintain them all, and eventually I gave up. I didn’t want to look through them, because there were just too many, and it was overwhelming.
It was time to toss them, in a drastic way. I decided to pretend I was moving overseas and could only take a few things with me. That was the motivation I needed.
A Sample:
Kept: A letter from my great-grandma telling me how different Germany is now that they have airplanes and ice.
Tossed: A stack of graduation and wedding cards.
Kept: Pages from my 10th grade journal documenting the first entertaining/tragic months of high school.
Tossed: Certificates rating me “Excellent +” for my high school activities, including a special one that certified I was “worthy of joining the Learning & Liberty Wall of Fame.” Awesome.
Kept: A card from my granny with two dimes taped to the inside.
Tossed: An information manual (literally, a book) with instructions to operate my couch. In French and Spanish.
I tossed over 40 pounds of papers, and I don’t think I can fully express what a relief it is to be free of it. The amount had been a burden, and I am so glad it is gone.
Now all of the papers fit in a few boxes, a couple of folders, and one file box. An improvement, yes?
Making Over Your Paper Pile:
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October 29, 2008 at 4:55 am
Camilla
Woohoo! I have a tip to add to this, so thought i’d take the opportunity to comment for the first time too. Awesome blog, i’m loving your topics and i love before/after photos, they’re fantastically motivating.
When i was looking through my box full of manuals that i keep for all my electronic products and expensive purchases, i realised 80% of it was other languages! If you just go through the manuals and rip out and recycle all the other-language pages, you’ll be amazed how much space you create. Also, you get to do lots of stapling (anyone else enjoy making staple noises? No? Just me then…).
And i’m sure you picked up on Uncluttered’s advice a while back on photographing (or scanning) keepsakes that you want record of but don’t feel the need to hold on to physically. I have a ‘memories’ folder in my computer of resized (to be small and space-saving) images of all the important stuff i decided to throw away. Now when i get cards i value and can’t bear to part with, i photograph them and into the recycling they go. Yay!
Congrats on your decluttering above, you made a fantastic impact on that messy pile.
October 29, 2008 at 5:10 am
Marcia Francois
Fantastic job - I’m so proud of you!!!
I love Camilla’s comment - and do exactly that too. I also go through my manuals regularly - every 6 months - so I can throw out the ones of the appliances that have now gone
October 29, 2008 at 5:10 am
aggie
Congratulations, Rachel! What a makeover! I fully understand how freeing it is to be rid of all that “weight”.
Like Camilla, we have a strategy for product manuals…we find an online pdf version and burn all of the manual copies onto a cd.
Can’t wait to see what your next accomplishment is!
aggie’s last blog post..Daily Declutter: Plastic Lids
October 29, 2008 at 6:07 am
angelvalerie
Fantastic! I was inspired by your blog and tossed 3/4 of a massive bin of papers - old utility bills and such….
Looking forward to reading more soon
angelvalerie’s last blog post..Choices
October 29, 2008 at 6:19 am
chinamama4
Oh. My. Goodness. You are amazing! And I am inspired…
(Thanks for idea for scanning memorabilia, commentors! I have such a weakness for keeping all that stuff.)
chinamama4’s last blog post..A Chinese Kitchen
October 29, 2008 at 6:46 am
Camilla
Marcia - i love your comment saying you love my comment.
Aggie - I never thought of that! I bet there are PDF versions of a lot of my manuals. I’ll go through and see which i’m happy to store on my laptop instead of in paper form. thanks!
October 29, 2008 at 7:06 am
renee @ FIMBY
Very inspiring. Unfortunately, I’m a paper keeper, but at least I’m a very organized paper keeper. But I think I still have too many files..
renee @ FIMBY’s last blog post..Beautiful!! I love the poem
October 29, 2008 at 8:10 am
Amber
Great job! Way to go! Hooray! It looks fantastic!
Amber’s last blog post..I really want to win one of these super cool neclaces… You can enter to win one too…but hurry….
October 29, 2008 at 8:43 am
robyn
oh my lord, just looking at the two pictures helped me exhale, and it wasn’t even my papers!
i’m in the midst of culling down my hobby stuffs (mostly knitting, scrapbooking and books), and it literally feels like a weight being lifted every time i give something away, recycle something i no longer need to hold so close, or toss items that are CLEARLY trash. who knew i was such a pack rat!
congrats on culling your paper down so much - now the trick will be to keep it so small!
October 29, 2008 at 8:52 am
Jessica
I didn’t even think about it, but I cleaned out some of our files last week, getting rid of old electric bill stubs and the like. I participated without even knowing, ha. You’re job was much more impressive than mine though, and I’m gonna need the inspiration as we try to cull down all our belongings before moving.
Jessica’s last blog post..I Heart Fall
October 29, 2008 at 8:52 am
Francis
Great job weeding out what you really wanted!
My kid’s many paper creations are a tougher pile to tackle - they always seem to find them when I try to put them in the trash!
I think there may be a huge stack of stuff I could get rid of hiding in my attic… The only trick may be convincing my husband he really doesn’t need those old tractor magazines he loved as a kid.
October 29, 2008 at 9:55 am
smallnotebook
Great tips, Camilla! I’ll look through the manuals that I kept and see what I can whittle down.
Aggie, I bet I can find at least a couple of those manuals online.
Francis, my husband has asked me if his comic book collection can be next!
Way to go on cleaning out your stuff, AngelValerie, Robyn, and Jessica! I can think of a few others who have been working on their papers too — how is it going?
October 29, 2008 at 12:02 pm
LS
Just a note for any of y’all who are scanning your memorabilia to a computer… be sure to back up the hard drive! Better yet, be sure to back up the hard drive to something stored off-site. It would be awful to have carefully stashed all these precious things on your computer, only to have the computer crash or get stolen or destroyed in a natural disaster or something…
October 29, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Nicki S
I laughed a little when I started reading this post because the very desk I am sitting at is beginning to resemble your paper pile. I cannot stand paper piles or messy piles of any sort so tackling them is a must for me, but I so badly dread it. Thanks for giving me the nudge. Once you get started it isn’t so bad
Nicki S’s last blog post..The Day After …
October 29, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Ann
The after looks great! You did a lot of hard work to get there, I’m sure.
We just removed a lot of stuff from our basement. I planned to post before and after photos but I forgot to take the photos! So there’s just a boring (or maybe exciting, depending on your perspective) list of what went out out out.
We still have to make a run to the garbage dump - can’t wait - and I’ll definitely be taking pictures of that pile o’ stuff.
As for paper clutter, I work everyday to try and tame the piles. For me it starts with sorting the mail before I even put it down. Tossing the recycling always feels so good!
Ann’s last blog post..You’ll Just Have to Take My Word for It!
October 29, 2008 at 12:59 pm
jodi @ bpr
great job - know that has to feel so much better to you! I’m often guilty of letting paper pile up way too much, but have been doing much better now that I’m using my scanner regularly and trashing misc junk!
jodi @ bpr’s last blog post..Christmas Planning - Eight Weeks & Counting
October 29, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Emma
Well done! That’s impressive!
Emma’s last blog post..Shared with a friend.
October 29, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Coco
WOW You want to come over and work on mine?
Coco’s last blog post..Sanding my life away….
October 29, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Alison
I just did this! It’s so nice to have all our important papers organized and to have all our mementos in one place. The papers I threw away freed up a bunch of space, too. Now I just have to keep it up….
October 29, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Richelle F
Wow! Good job. That is inspirational!
Richelle F’s last blog post..It’s Giveaway Time!
October 29, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Suzy :)
That’s really great, Rachel! You’ve inspired me to tackle my mess! ;D
Suzy’s last blog post…Fall Book GiveAway & “A Ride Along The Lincoln Highway” — Airs Tonight!
October 29, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Gina
Thanks for the inspiration- I love the pictures! I have decided to keep only one year’s worth of bills and most papers since I rarely need to refer back to them. This has saved me so much time and energy. I keep a twelve month accordian file and I just plunk everything in there. Every month I shred that month’s papers and then have that folder for the new. I do keep about 12 files for things that need to be saved, mortgage and home expenses, manuals, medical records. This seems to work well and helps me save the stuff I really need, but not hang onto the stuff I don’t.
October 30, 2008 at 7:44 am
Mother Necessity
You inspired me to dig out all the paper that needed to be recycled (but had personal info on it) and rip it up for the bin. Now to tackle the computer table junk drawer…
Mother Necessity’s last blog post..Shredded!
October 30, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Karisa
Amazing. You have inspired me=) I might need to toss out some 50+ lbs.!
Karisa’s last blog post..Perspective: from a Daughter and Wife - Part 2
October 30, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Katie at makingthishome.com
Congrats on the major clean! I just have one question (and please, please, please tell me yes). Did you happen to recycle all that paper?
Way to go on the Excellent + award, by the way.
Katie at makingthishome.com’s last blog post..Those Apples Are Getting Saucy
October 30, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Cherry
Wow, great clean up! You’ve inspired me to clean out my own paper pile. I was wondering, how many years’ worth of:
bank statements
retirement fund statements
and stock investment statements
should I keep on hand?
Thanks again for the great decluttering inspirations!
October 31, 2008 at 2:28 am
smallnotebook
Katie, some of it got recycled in my compost bin (but some didn’t). Some went to Doug’s office for the industrial shredder.
Cherry, I think how long you keep financial statements has mostly to do with personal comfort level and taxes. If your statements have documentation needed for filing your taxes, then keep them for at least 3 years (some advise 7 years). My personal choice is to save the end-of-year summary statements in scanned pdf form so I can keep them without taking up space.
October 31, 2008 at 2:28 am
Jill
wow. how liberating!
did you ever know that you’re my hero?
you’re everything I would like to be…
October 31, 2008 at 2:29 am
smallnotebook
Jill, you’re much more talented than me. Your writing is proof.
October 31, 2008 at 9:08 am
MaryAnne
Wow, I’m impressed. I need to find time to do that.
MaryAnne’s last blog post..Winter Toddler Dress
November 1, 2008 at 10:04 am
Mary
I love that you kept your granny’s notes!
Mary’s last blog post..One of the best ways to eat well on a budget
November 1, 2008 at 9:59 pm
gidget
Okay, that is amazing. I’m a keeper of that sort of stuff, too. Trying to get better.
gidget’s last blog post..Coming in November…
November 2, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Meegan
Wow
Need I say anymore?!
Great job!
Meegan’s last blog post..A quick plug
November 3, 2008 at 9:45 am
Tsoniki Crazy Bull
Oh great idea to use moving overseas as motivation! We are moving in the spring and I would love to get rid of a lot of paperwork as well as a lot of ’stuff’ before then.
I have a lot of paperwork and thought I was doing a good job organizing it but now that I think about it, I bet I could get rid of a lot.
November 4, 2008 at 9:41 am
nicola
i love this kind of before/after project! good job!
November 7, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Tami
You don’t know how much paper I have! I need to go through it all! Thanks for sharing
Tami’s last blog post..Fall Impressions
November 27, 2008 at 9:23 am
Dallee
Here are two useful file names –
Warm Fuzzies (for things you want to keep)
A Safe Place (for special things you want to find)
Surprisingly nice — go through some nice letters and cards on a down day and be able to find those reservations or tickets on a busy day!