Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all the papers, notices, artwork, and other stacks of paper your kids bring home from school? I totally understand! Here are some great tips for organizing paper clutter that show you how to organize papers in general and in specific how to get kids papers under control. You can use the “Trap the R-A-T” (RETAIN, ACT, THROW) method for how to organize school papers and get everything in its proper place in no time!
These clutter organizing tips were contributed by Betsy Fein who is the President of Clutterbusters, a professional organizing firm. For information, go to www.clutterbusters.com
Easy Method For Organizing Paper Clutter:
Nearly every day, your child brings home flyers announcing some school activity, bake sale, field trip, or other such notices. Unfortunately, these notices tend to pile up unless acted upon. As soon as practicable, read the flyers and perform the following R.A.T. (RETAIN, ACT, THROW) exercise.
RETAIN: All school flyers that you need to keep (class lists with phone numbers, emergency procedures, etc.)
ACT: Make sure you have your calendar while reviewing the flyers, and mark any important dates. Once you mark the date, you should be able to “throw.”
THROW: Anything you suspect you won’t need in the future. Don’t be afraid to throw it in the recycling bin, as you can always go back to the school and ask about the content of the flyer if necessary. There should be approximately a 4 to 1 ratio of “throw” to “retain.”
How To Organize School Papers and Paper Clutter from Kids Art Work:
Use the RAT exercise above for how to organize school papers that are not art work. Use the organizer system below for reducing paper clutter from kids art work.
While it would be great to be able to keep all of your children’s artwork in perpetuity, most of us don’t have enough room in the house!! I recommend that you follow the 3 “F” rule.
FRAME: Some outstanding pieces of children’s artwork deserve framing. Buy several acrylic frame boxes at The Container Store and hang the framed artwork around your house, in your basement, or in your child’s room. Your kids will appreciate the recognition they get when you go the extra mile to frame their art.
FILE: Not all art is frameworthy. But it may not be trashworthy either! Keep those items which demonstrate talent, and you may someday decide to frame. Make a file box for each child, and let them decorate the box. When they bring something home they want to keep, ask them to file it in their very own keepsake box.
FLUSH: No need to keep random scribble, or works that don’t meet your standards. There should be a 1 to 3 to 5 ratio of Frame, File and Flush. And don’t forget, much of the “filed” art can be used as gifts to relatives. You may also consider taking digital photos of your child’s art, and storing it on disk. Although it’s not the same as the original, this is a good way to reduce the clutter of the overwhelming amount of art that comes through the door.
I hope you found these tips for organizing paper clutter helpful for how to organize papers and get school papers under control in your home. Most of these clutter organizing tips can actually be applied to many areas of our homes such as junk drawers, hall closets, and even garage organization. What are your favorite clutter organizing tips?
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