Sort a Pile of Papers: Day 3 of the Tidiness Challenge

Disclaimer: papers are the worst.

But the harder the challenge, the more beneficial. Am I right?! Rome wasn't built in a day, was it? 

Go grab a pile of papers. Maybe it's a mound of mail. Or some floating receipts and what-have-yous from around the house. You can tackle the pile on your desk or night table if that's your thing. Whatever you choose, kiss that nasty pile goodbye because today is the end of its lifetime. 

Here are some general paper organizing tips to keep in mind during today's challenge:

1) Go through the pile systematically. That means addressing the papers one by one without skipping chunks because they're horrifically overwhelming. Start at the top of the pile and make a decision about the paper facing you before moving on to the next one. I promise using this technique will save you a lot of time.

2) Create piles to keep your sorting tidy. Take a few post-its and name each category. For example: "Medical," "Receipts To File," "To-Do," or "Trash." Divvy up the papers into the various categories so you know what's what as you move along.

3) Further divide papers that you have to address into categories. If you're left with a varied assortment of papers, divide them into categories so conquering each task will be easier. "Applications to fill out," "bills to pay," etc. Use a paper clip and post- it to label the stacks and keep each category together.    

4) Respect the "active" papers. The items that need to be taken care of should be treated as such! Don't let them get scattered around your home again. Store them in a safe place (a folder or paper tray can be a great help here) where you can tackle each one when you have the time. 

Recycle. Shred. Minimize. Goodbye.