With all the time we are spending at home working and finishing the school year, there is an accumulation of paper weighing us down. And, because our summer plans may be altered this year, we are surrounded by that paper every day, in some cases on multiple surfaces in our homes.

  1. The end of the school year is a great time to sit down with your children and go thru their old school papers and artwork. Save only original work and their favorites (or your favorites,) or, papers your kids will need to refer to again. Create a memory box or bin for special papers and artwork, or, find an app like ArtKive to store and share your child’s creations.
  2. Go thru your own papers and reduce the stacks. Sort the paper into categories and only save what you really need. File paper that you absolutely need to keep, relying on a strong filing system or routine. By going thru your own papers on a regular basis, you can set a great example for your kids.
  3. Use strategies like: scanning, opting out of direct mail, using the library, starting digital subscriptions to magazines and newspapers, shredding out of date documents with personal information and setting up a regular, daily routine to go thru your mail, immediately recycling what you do not need to keep.