The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life by Francine Jay

Author:Francine Jay [Jay, Francine]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Anja Press

Reason for each item

As you contemplate your reason for keeping each item, bear the following in mind: just because it’s an “office supply” doesn’t give it a free pass. Not every kind of office supply belongs in your office. Each item must prove that it’s pulling its weight, or risk getting a pink slip. If your home office is like most, space and storage are at a premium. Therefore, you’ll have to be brutally honest about what you use and need; otherwise, you may feel like you’re working in a supply closet!

Now that you’ve purged the battered, the broken, and the obsolete, take a careful look at your leftover items. Ask hard questions to determine what makes the cut; you’re not running a shelter for wayward supplies, after all. Do you really need five different colors of highlighters, or six different sizes of envelopes? When’s the last time you used the voice recorder? How many different ways do you need to tell the date and time (i.e., if you own a watch, computer, and cell phone, are a desk clock and calendar necessary)? Does the paperweight do its job, or just hang around looking pretty? They may seem like trivial items, barely worth a second thought; but together they add up to significant desk space.

We must be similarly rigorous with our paperwork, or it can quickly get out of control. Give each piece of paper a grilling, particularly if it’s not a legal or financial document. Consider whether you need the paper itself, or simply the information—if the latter, scan it or type the pertinent details into a digital file. Furthermore, think long and hard before you print anything—why generate more paper to deal with down the road? Leave emails in your virtual inbox, and bookmark webpages for future reference. If you’re worried you won’t be able to access the information at a later date, print it to a PDF file—that way, you’ll have a copy on your hard drive, and can view it anytime. (To do this, you’ll need software such as CutePDF, PrimoPDF, or Pdf995.) This strategy is ideal for online receipts and payment confirmations; it provides the proof you need, without all the clutter. Just be sure to back up your files regularly, to prevent any data loss.

Catalogs are also prime candidates for decluttering. First, consider whether you need to keep (or receive) them at all. Most retailers display their entire product lines on their websites; and it’s often easier to find an item in an online catalog than a paper one. If you need the physical copy, retain only the latest issue, as older ones may have discontinued items and outdated pricing. If you’re keeping a catalog for one item, tear out the relevant page and recycle the rest. Better yet: scan the page, or bookmark the item on the retailer’s website.

Finally, question each piece of office equipment. If you only photocopy or fax something once or twice a year, would you be better off seeking

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