pile

It is hard to decide what to keep and what to get rid of, especially in the information age. We seem to be consuming more paper than ever. According to the HP Internet Printing Index survey workers say they print pages from the Internet an average of 32 pages a day. US companies still file 120 billion sheets of paper annually. Since over 80% of the paper we file is never referenced again, it makes sense to purge your desk and filing cabinets to get a fresh start.

Consumer Research Institute reports that the average American throws away 44 percent of their junk mail unopened. In addition we sometimes pick up information, just because it is information. Ask yourself, “Do I really want it?”, before collecting more paper in your office. The reality is that we are creating our own paper pile up nightmare! Seize the day and throw away!

Some documents need to be kept. For example, financial and tax documents need to be kept for the IRS for 7 years. Often you need to keep paper documents only for a short period of time, but can then dispose of it because you have a record of it electronically. Create a “pending/waiting” box on your desk for such papers that you only need temporarily. Then you can periodically purge it as the issue resolves itself.