Paper clutter challenges families every day. Junk mail, kid’s art, catalogs, and more. Having established a Paper Filing System for our family, I can safely say that we live 90% paperless leveraging technology to support this goal.
If you get control of the paper, the paperless part became a reality.
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Paper Filing System
Technology options are overwhelming and it’s hard to know how to choose the right one. But it’s more important to establish your routine and less about the tool itself.
Here are my 5 “go-to” tools to help you get started on the road to Paperless Living.
1. Evernote
I started using Evernote over 10 years ago. I love that the information syncs to all devices. My Evernote tab stays open all the time. The addition of the Web Clipper on my web browser allows me to clip webpages and save them to relevant notebooks such as Business, Recipes, Family, etc.
Eventually, it’s easy to see which Notebooks really work based on those with the most files and how often you reference them. I suggest deleting the rest because digital clutter is still clutter. I especially love Evernote for Recipe Organization where I can save many formats in one Notebook.
2. Print to PDF
My second technology solution is Print to PDF. When you need to keep a receipt or confirmation page, try Print to PDF instead of printing paper.
Notice the Destination (Printer Name) in the Screenshot. Change it from the name of your printer to PDF. Go ahead, try it! Click print on your web browser. Select PDF and the Print button becomes Save. Next, save the item to a folder on your computer.
Finally, use a naming convention that starts with the year for simple sorting and reference at tax time. (2022_08_NameOfItemPurchased). This naming convention facilitates a quick delete after the appropriate period of time.
3. One Paper Notebook
This is not a technology solution but it complements all the technology and will help you become paperless. I carry one 5×7 sized journal with ALL my lists. No more lost post-its or endless notebooks. Every week, I start a to-do list. I segment it into my 4 jobs: 1) Simply Enough, 2) Volunteer Jobs 3) Wife/Mom/Home.
Also, try tackling your task list in like-categories. By batch processing each category, you glean economies of scale.
- Calendar Updates/Online To-Do’s
- Phone Calls
- Errands
- Writing and Deep Work
4. Tiny Scanner and Google Drive
My favorite app is Tiny Scanner. It’s a smartphone app that organizes receipts. Tiny Scanner crops the receipt and then you can upload it to a Google Drive folder. The app uploads to DropBox and Evernote as well.
Scanning keeps clutter out of your wallet and off the counters too! In Google Drive, you can organize receipts in folders and share them with your spouse or accountant. Keep in mind, that you don’t need to save every receipt. If it’s a tax item or a potential return, file it. If not, throw it away.
5. Elect Paperless Options
Last but not least, stop the inflow of paper and elect paperless options. More and more companies offer this to reduce postage costs. Consider converting Bills, Insurance Explanation of Benefits (EOBs), and Financial Statements to electronic versions.
If you’d like to learn how to stop paper before it gets to your mailbox, sign up for my free Filing Printable.
Right on all points!
I’m a paper girl, but that doesn’t mean I don’t opt for paperless solutions (Evernote, Dropbox, and printing to PDF) whenever possible. I like the feel of paper, but save it for things where the original provides some kind of tactile satisfaction. I like to sort papers; it’s a Zen thing. So my digital receipts stay digital, but my paper receipts (the few I get these days) are neatly sorted by category for expenses and deductions. Being paperless with some things means the papers I do have can get the attention they need.
I’m a BIG fan of Evernote. I just recently discovered that you can make your written notes searchable, which makes digitizing them super easy! I also always use print to PDF to file invoices and printables now. Super easy to do!