Paperwork Organization for the New Year

Happy New Year!

Do you want to do some paperwork organization in 2020? I do. And I want more space! I seem to be using an awful lot of my space for storing paper. Ok, maybe “storing” isn’t quite the right word, unless you define it as “making big stacks!” I’m basically out of room in my home office, and I want it back! (See this post for a different kind of organization story.)

My plan this year is to go as paperless as I can. Just think of all the extra room I’d have without all that stored paper! I could get rid of my big filing cabinet – that’s a whole extra corner in my office right there!

The top of my desk could be clear of all those file holders I now keep there. And I’d have so much more counter space without the piles of papers!

But how do we do that? Why, scanning of course! And I got the most amazing little scanner to do it! In fact, it’s so fun that I’ve already started!

ScanSnap S1300i

I love this little ScanSnap S1300i with all my heart! You can’t tell in the picture above, but it’s only about 12″ long and 3″ wide.

Here it is next to my tablet-sized laptop – cute huh?!

And set up is super easy – I actually did it myself in less than an hour! The picture above is my computer on my lap as I set it up! Look how simple the directions are!

And then you just plug it into the wall, and into your computer, and you’re ready to go!

Paperwork Organization Step 1 – Sort

The first thing I did was to go through my stacks. I picked up each thing and decided what to do with it.

Maybe the paper needed to be recycled.

Or shredded.

Anything I wanted to scan and/or save, went into a pile of similar items.

Put Away Things That Already Have a Home

Turns out, I keep a lot of magazines in my piles! After I have rescued them all and put them in their own pile, I put them away in the magazine holder I already have. There. One pile down!

Paperwork Organization Step 2

Then decide what actually needs to be scanned

When to Save Hard Copies

Of course there are some things that should really be saved as hard copy originals. For instance, certified copies of legal documents. I also save original contracts and a few other things that would be difficult to replace.

However, you could scan them as well, just so you have an electronic copy if you need to use it and the original isn’t required. SO much time saved if you can email instead of making a trip to the post office!

Can You Get The Info Online?

Another big stack of paperwork was account statements. I have lots of these filed in my cabinet already too. But I really don’t need to keep them. I can get all my statement information for banking, retirement funds, insurance, etc. online. (I have switched most of my statements to electronic now, so that tells you how old some of these stacks and files are!)

Set Up a Password List or App

My problem with online accounts is that I have a zillion passwords and I have to change them all the time. So I’ve made myself a protected Excel spreadsheet for them all.

There are also several Password Manager apps out there – I might look into one of those soon too. If I do, I’ll report back. And if you already know about them, I’d love some recommendations!

Then Get Scanning!

The ScanSnap is so simple, it’s amazing! Honestly, it’s easier than a copier. You put in a document of up to 10 pages, push the blue lighted button, and off it goes!

You get a choice on your computer screen about where you want to store it.

You can set up Cabinets and Folders – it’s as easy as my great big office file cabinet, only way smaller!

Scan Your Photos For Easy Sharing

I love a real hard copy photo album! I love to sit and look at them and share them with my family at the holidays, etc.

But I’d also love to be able to share them with distant friends and relations. If you have lots of old hard copy photos, you could scan them too!

We also get lots of photo cards at the holidays. I don’t really want to store them all, but I’d love to be able to look at them and share them via email. So I scan those too!

Photo Books

I also love to give photos as presents, especially in a hard cover book form. Once your photos are scanned, you can make beautiful photo books online. I’ve used SnapFish before and loved them! But that could be a whole other post – you get the idea!

Make a Back Up Copy

And remember to have a good backup system. I use the WD My Passport external drive. There’s more than enough room for everything I will probably ever need.

Paperwork Organization Reward

Very soon now, my paperwork will look like this! I’ll only have a few hard copy files, and everything else fits into my little laptop!

What used to be 14 linear feet (!) of paperwork in my office will soon be less than one! How’s that for a fantastic EASY (and fun) way to start the new year?

So I’m totally going to bat for this wonderful, life-changing little scanner! Links are below if you want to join me in 2020 paperwork organization!

———- Shop the Paperwork Organization Post ———-

Happy Organized New Year!

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