[Day 20] Mail: Kitchen Clutter Clear Out

Hello to Day 20 of the Kitchen Clutter Clear Out!  Mail and other papers can be a huge source of clutter in our kitchens, so it’s about time we address it.

I’ve seen it in every kitchen I’ve organized……piles of mail and paper.  You are soooo not alone if you suffer from too much paper and paper paralysis. 

Do you find yourself scooping papers from counters to make space for meal prep.  And where do the scooped papers end up?  The kitchen table, UGH!  It’s a vicious circle.

We will get serious today about clearing papers so we can once again see the surfaces of our counters, tables and islands.  It will feel amazing!

Here we go.

• You will need a trash can, a recycling container and a bag/box labeled “shred.”
• Start sorting your piles of papers.  One inch at a time. Be ruthless and toss as much as possible.
• Here and here are some basic guidelines for Personal paper retention.  Business papers have different guidelines.  Consult your accountant.
• Set a timer for 30 minutes and see how much you can get done before the timer goes off.
• Revisit those piles everyday, 30 minutes at a time.  They will be gone before you know it.
• Find a basket, box or small bin to hold the mail you collect from now on.  Keep it separate from the piles you are sorting.
• Toss the junk mail and shredding as soon as you collect it from the mail box.  I walk past my city recycling bin on the way into my house and toss most of my mail before I walk through our door.

Liberate your surfaces from papers today.  Let me know if you discover your kitchen surfaces once again.

Simply,

Jill