GON Reader Question
Maria,
I have paper piles everywhere—on the kitchen counter, the dining room table, even in the car. I know I need to do
something about it, but every time I sit down to start, I feel overwhelmed.
Some of it seems important, some of it I’m not sure about, and honestly, I don’t even know where to begin. I end up just shuffling things around and walking away. How do I start tackling it
without getting frustrated or making a bigger mess?
-- Beth H., Sparks, Nevada
Maria's Response
Hi Beth,
Thank you for writing in. I think just about everyone reading this can relate to your question. Paper clutter has a sneaky way of building up quickly, and then suddenly it feels like it’s everywhere. The kitchen
counter, the entry table, the home office—those are the same spots I hear about all the time.
And you’re right—paper is tough. Not only is it time-consuming, but it also requires a lot of decisions. What should I keep? What might I need later? What if I toss something I regret? Add that to a busy schedule, and it’s no wonder paper
piles often get ignored.
But here’s the good news: you don’t have to tackle the whole thing at once, and you definitely don’t have to start with the hard stuff. The secret is to begin with the no-brainers—the things you can toss without a second thought.
Here’s a Great Starting Point:
Grab one small pile and go through it with these in mind:
-- Empty envelopes and packaging
-- Expired coupons and old store flyers
-- Junk mail and pre-approved credit card
offers
-- Duplicate or blurry copies
-- Appointment reminders from last month
-- Event flyers or school notes that are now outdated
-- Takeout menus for restaurants you have two or more of...or those you don’t order from anymore
-- Old lists that are no longer relevant
-- Instruction manuals for things you’ve long since gotten rid of
These are the “easy wins.” They don’t require deep thinking, just a little time and a recycling bin. And once these are out of the way, the remaining pile won’t look nearly as intimidating.
One More Tip:
Set a 10-minute timer and promise yourself that you only have to work on it until the timer goes off. You can always stop there, but chances are, once you see the progress, you’ll want to keep going.
By the way, if you’re facing digital paper clutter (like downloads, screenshots, or desktop chaos), the same approach works beautifully—start with the obvious and delete as you go.
Thank you again for your question,
On another note...
Mother's Day is May 11th. Need gift ideas for a special mom? You're going to love my list of
