Using a Scanner to Help Declutter You Office or Home

If you are like most of the country, chances are you have been binging episodes of Tidying up with Marie Kondo on Netflix. And while she certainly offers some excellent tips for decluttering your home, we all know it is nearly impossible to get rid of all our paper especially at the office.

Invoices, receipts, bank documents, medical files and more all amount to stacks of paper taking up space in your home office. Although old tax information probably does not spark joy you still must retain certain documents for your records. So, how can you clean your space while still hanging on to the important documents you need?

Basic Tips to Help You Get Organized

When it comes time to clean your home or business office, be ready with the tools you need and set aside some time. Gather some boxes and label them for the items you will keep and those you will toss.

Sort keep-items into one box and paper to toss in the other. Take your time and work in time-limited increments. Don’t try to sort through every piece of paper in your home or office in one afternoon. Block out some time where you can concentrate and not be interrupted. Plan ahead if you know it will take a few days.

Using Technology to Help You Organize

When it comes to paper decluttering and organization, there are two essential items you need — a scanner or MFP with scan capabilities and a shredder.

When you look at the “keep” box, determine which items you must keep in their original form. Many documents contain information that you need, but you don’t necessarily require a hard copy — those items go in the scan box. Documents that you must keep should go into the box of things to file.

Papers in the “toss” box should all go through the shredder before recycling. While these days we worry about online identify theft, your identity can also be stolen via discarded documents if they are not disposed of properly. The shred pile can multiply quickly so don’t save it all for the end — shred stacks of piles throughout the process so that you don’t feel overwhelmed.

In the end, you will have a large amount of shredded paper to be recycled, a small box of documents to be filed, and a bunch of scanned files on your computer. The final step of the process is organizing and backing up your electronic data, which can be made easier with document scanning apps and solutions.

Remember, decluttering is a big task to undertake, but in the end, you will feel less stressed, and your home and office will feel fresher. Using technology like a scanner and scanning software can help you get organized without getting overwhelmed. If your office is getting buried in paper, contact us today to learn more about how scanning can help!