“Processing” paper means deciding what to do with it. If you don’t make a decision as about what to do with piece of paper, clutter is the result. Therefore, it’s important to have an easy process for making decisions. Use one of my favorite checklists below to help you decide what to do with your paper.
The “A-SORT – Keep or Toss” checklist, provides very specific criteria to decide which papers should be kept or tossed. This is one way to make short work of processing paper whether it’s just arrived or has been in your files for a long time.
As you go through your papers, remember that you are doing “A SORT.” Ask yourself the following questions to determine what papers to keep or toss.
• A Is there ACTION required of me? (If no, toss.)
If there is information you need to take note of or enter in your calendar/planner, do so first. For example, if it’s an announcement about an event you won’t be attending, toss it. If a contact has a new email address change your records, then toss it.
• S Is there something SPECIFIC I will do with this within SIX months? (If no, toss.)
This will weed out items you might like to do something with someday, but will realistically never get around to.
• O Could I OBTAIN this information elsewhere if I needed it? (If yes, toss.)
If it’s on the Internet, in someone else’s files, or on your computer, you don’t need a hard copy.
• R Is the information RECENT enough to still be RELEVANT? (If no, toss.)
If it’s old and outdated, don’t keep it. You can find up-to-the-minute information on almost anything on the Internet. Of course, we’re talking about information here, not cherished family photos and documents – keep those!
• T Are there TAX, legal or financial reasons to keep this? (If no, toss.)
Ask your accountants, lawyers and financial advisers for their recommended retention schedules, but once again, if they can provide copies of your records when you need them, you don’t really have to keep duplicates.
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