KonMari Method vs. Minimalism: Papers

Since I live at home, I don’t have to worry too much about paperwork. However, I do sometimes get mail, which is easy for me to stay on top of.

Some adults tend to get a lot of junk or advertisements through the mail. This can build up over time if you’re not staying on top of it, but there are a couple systems you can use. The easiest system is to have three separate piles: one for action items, ones to be saved for later reference and one to throw away or recycle.

For most people, mail can be a mix of things you need to respond back to, advertisements, newspapers, magazine subscriptions, etc., one thing you can do to reduce the flow of what’s not necessary is to find a way to unsubscribe or remove yourself from that mailing list. I’d also recommend using this “one touch” system. This means that for every piece of mail or paper you touch, decide then and there if it should stay or leave your home. It helps if you have a couple trash bins to help separate your paperwork (one for recycling and one for trash), or you could get yourself a shredder for documents that may no longer serve a purpose in your life.

My last tip that is common sense to me at least is to go digital. If you can find a way to take care of your taxes online, then that could save you more time than worrying about a bunch of papers and envelopes to be mailed out. The same can be said for other things, like insurance, finances or even those magazine subscriptions that you enjoy and don’t want to give up.

So do whatever works for you, but just know that it is possible to live your life with less. I personally find it satisfying to not have as much paperwork as other people. Even before minimalism became mainstream, I was taking care of my finances on my phone, and I’m sure I could easily do the same for insurance and taxes. If you prefer to not go digital with your paperwork, then that’s fine, but I would encourage you to at least be mindful of where all of it is going.