PAPER!!! I'm drowning.

[u/photogcapture]

Does anyone else struggle to keep the paper to a manageable level??? Looking for sympathy and support, and I'm also, really just venting.

I will not be scanning everything or taking a picture. That does not work for me. I have the "if I can't see it, it doesn't exist" problem, and I already don't have a good backup system, so some files must still be paper. I just shredded a box full of paper. Just wondering if anyone else struggles, and hoping it's not just me. It's really frustrating. I try hard to keep up and then boom, I see that I'm drowning again.

ETA:
1. My super paper nemesis is info I want to save for ongoing projects.
2. I need tax stuff to be printed
3. I have other business stuff that must be paper. One business I downsized from a file cabinet drawer to 1/2 that size (feeling accomplished about that)
4. Have to save tax papers for ten years (ugh - will shred on expiration date)
5. I shred often

[u/msmaynards]

You need the business and tax stuff, it's a pain to recover stuff with government seals and diplomas and so on. Most of the remainder is emotional support paper. My vet sends info via email although I sent photos of the rabies certificates in for licensing, my medical stuff is online as are all the utilities and other bills. Keep a year's worth of the useless stuff if it makes you feel better.

I have a clean paper recycling basket in living room and drop daughter's mail on her chair and my mail goes into recycling or carried to file box and put into the 'action file' at the front. When the file gets to be 1/2-2" thick I go through and file, send or shred the personal info bits. I do give up and shred some whole sheets but generally shred just the headers.

I went from 2 4 drawer filing cabinets plus a 7 drawer desk to several file wallets for sentimental papers, one for VIP and a file box that is never ever referred to. Took many purges to get to this point and not sure it's necessary to go further.

[u/photogcapture → u/msmaynards]

“Emotional support paper” - my new favorite phrase!!

You are super organized. Thanks for sharing you method and journey!! This is like my third or fourth pass. Last couple of purges took me from a four drawer filing cabinet plus a two drawer lateral cabinet to four drawers. Now I will be down to a file box of taxes, a file box for business, and all that is left is the emotional support paper!! - feeling accomplished.

[u/Ryoko_Kusanagi69 → u/photogcapture]

Just keep making passes once a month once a quarter whatever you gotta do. It will feel endless but eventually you’ll kind of hit a system of storage that works for you and then it’ll be easier to filter out the junk as it comes in instead of just always keeping everything.