Your Paper Piles Are Killing the Vibe: How to Make Paper Organizing Sexy (or at Least More Fun)
I’m going to say something outright controversial.
Despite pretty much unanimous worldwide agreement, organizing your paper piles doesn’t have to be dull. In fact, it can be downright seductive.
Hear me out. There’s something irresistible about sliding crisp pages into perfect order, feeling the chaos melt away as every document finds its home. When your papers are organized, your mind follows, and that quiet sense of mastery feels SO GOOD.
Plus, January is boring and needs spicing up.
Sure, I can see how you might look at a bunch of paper and think “I’d rather participate in a polar bear plunge.”
And yes, binge watching Stranger Things Season Five does sound fun.
But please, help me help you. I’m going to give you five simple steps to make paper organizing just a little bit more sexy. If you follow these, I promise you will have a good time, and you might even want to…dare I say…start paper organizing on a more regular basis.
Step 1. Gather paper organizing supplies
For a happier experience, you’ll need to set the scene! Get a few paper bags, banker boxes or bins for sorting. Also a black Sharpie and some sticky notes. Label the containers with the following verbs:
To Do
To Recycle
To Shred
To File
Step 2: Collect all paper piles in your home
Don’t get stuck looking at the rest of your crapola. That can wait for another day. JUST paper. Walk through your home and gather it all up into a bin or basket, then come back to your table.
Step 3: Set the mood
This is seriously important. Clear the dining or kitchen table, put on some background music (preferably from your college days) and make yourself a nice coffee/tea/strong cocktail. Be in the moment. You are going to have fun! Fun is a mindset.
Step 4: Sort your paper
Now, one by one, review each piece of paper and place it in the appropriate receptacle with the corresponding verb: To Do, To File, To Shred, etc.
REMIND YOURSELF THAT YOU ARE HAVING FUN.
If you come across a paper that requires an action, grab a sticky note and write the action on the note. Example “Sign permission slip”, “Pay”, “Get tickets.” This will reduce mental load by prompting your brain later when you go to take action.
Step 5: Once you are done, follow through on your sexy verbs
Recycle, shred, file and do the action items. This step can be done the following day if you are feeling wiped out, but don’t leave it too long or they will fester in your living room and I think we can all agree that this is the opposite of sexy.
Still not convinced? That’s okay, paper organizing isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time. But if your piles are creeping across every surface and stressing you out, please call me! I offer a free consultation to help you set up a paper organizing system that actually works for you (and yes, we can even make it a little bit fun).
Happy Organizing!
