Post 8/ Your Paper Trail
Photo of “Needs To Be Saved” Papers Gathered: Everything From Journals And Receipts to Printer Paper and Post-It Notes, taken by Tori Klotz
2024, Example of how messy the Paper categor can get. Not Pictured: The second rug of all “Currently In Use” papers like mail, fridge papers, and magazines that were floating around the house, a.k.a. the not-so-pretty photo stuff.
Here’s my tip: If your paper item might feel sentimental yet it’s useful for your everyday life, don’t leave it for the last “Sentimental” category. Tidy it now and try my 5 point Paper Categories System, Seen Below.
The calculation
Days tidying: 7
items tossing: 13
items donating: 200
items selling: 65
items kept: 417
Total items tidied: 695
Total $ from sold tidied goods:
$ 269.12 [a few more items sold on poshmark, again’
My tidying cost equation:
(sold tidied items) - (tidying supplies cost) = net cost:
$269.12 - $510.26 = (-$241.14)
The confidence I can complete this project:
30%. Oh, man. I knew papers would be a tough chapter, but I didn’t realize how much it would drain me. With a Halloween trip to see my niece and nephew, some needed downtime, and a fall bonfire around the corner with friends, tidying has really taken a backseat. But I’m keeping the tidy station set up in the living room as a consistent reminder. With electronics and the kitchen around the corner, I know the energy and momentum will soon return to this project.
You might think this part will be easy—just grab the papers from your office, mailbox, and fridge, and you’re done.
But I found that wasn’t the case.
Once I gathered everything, I ended up with stationery, mail, printer paper, notepads from the linen closet, healthcare documents, insurance forms, passports, and even coupons scattered around. Most papers had claimed their own spots across the house, from the desk to the kitchen table or that overflowing "miscellaneous" drawer. The pretty cover photo here only shows the tidy half of what actually needed sorting. It was definitely time to get to work.
According to Marie Kondo, “the term “papers” does not include old love letters or diaries. She says, “limit yourself, at first, to sorting papers that give you no thrill at all and finish the job in one go. Letters from friends and love letters can be left for when you tackle sentimental items.” Overwhelmed by all the seemingly undiscovered places my papers had lived, I agreed easily with this and placed those sentimental seeming paper items next to my wedding decor and family photos in the basement, kicking it for down the road. However, I had one major exception — my journals. Here’s why.
I’m not sentimental about my journals—I refer to them regularly for insights or practical notes, like a perfected bread recipe or a friend’s helpful message. Just recently, I had this hankering to turn to an exact page, where I knew a great quote and pairing reflection was written, for a conversation with a friend. Pro Tip: if a paper item is sentimental but also useful in your daily life, don’t save it for the “Sentimental” category. If you need access to it, keep it in the “Papers” category.
The KonMari Method divides papers into two main categories: “Currently in Use” and “Papers to Be Saved”, each with its own subcategories. Below, I outline these, along with a few extra types I found helpful (in bold). We’ll call these the Psyche Butterfly (PB) Paper Categories. The Psyche Butterfly additional Paper Categories, in addition to the Konmari Paper categories, are bolded below.
Another Pro Tip: Create a dividing line on your canvas workspace to separate "Currently in Use" from "Needs to Be Saved." This way, you can start with the easier, "Currently in Use" pile—shred junk mail, toss old receipts, and repurpose fridge clutter for fire kindling—before tackling the "Needs to Be Saved" papers.
“Papers” Categories
Currently In Use, AKA Papers Needed For A Limited Time (Uses Mail Sorter & Counter Paper Sorter)
Papers That Need Attention (suggestion: immediately inside door, unopened mail holder)
Papers That Require Action Items (PB addition) (suggestion: has a designated paper sorter and is intended to be opened with an envelope opener and thus action item known)
Sentimental Daily Use (PB addition) (items you regularly refer to that mat have sentimental value in the future like sheet music or journals)
Needed To Be Saved, AKA Papers Needed Indefinitely (Uses the Office Max File Folders or Vintage Porta-Files)
Need To Be Saved - Frequent Use
Need To Be Saved - Infrequent Use
It should be noted that gathering all papers took a full morning. Then, it took me a good hour to simply separate into those 2 separate categories above. Finally, I could tidy as the week went on.
Currently In Use
You’ll notice I added two sub-categories to the KonMari "Currently in Use" section (shown in bold above). Marie Kondo suggests starting with easy-to-discard items like receipts and fridge clutter. But for other "Currently in Use" papers, I wanted a counter-top sorter to keep action items in view.
Here’s why: I often bring in the mail with good intentions, but by the time I’m inside, dinner or another task takes priority, and the mail gets lost in the holder. To address this, I set up a simple wall-mounted holder by the front door to gather mail as it comes in. Then, I added a stylish mail sorter on the counter for priority items, meant for only after you have the opportunity to take an envelope opeer to the mail and finally give mental attention to the priority. Essentially, the mail holder immediately inside the door acts as a reminder to handle them when I have time, yet takes them in from the inclement weather and allows the mailman to deliver with ease, while the mail sorter is for the space you actually get to enjoy opening the mail and applying mental energy to the needed level of priority.
Having a "Currently in Use" category called” “Sentimental Daily Use” that doesn't automatically send all journals and sheet music to storage also helped. This way, these items can be easily accessed, used, and appreciated. I found myself finding the need to have a specific home with a label for their designated place. More on that below.
Sorting the “Currently In Use” pile felt satisfying. Shredding old menus and outdated RSVPs gave me momentum, and knowing the mail had a designated, orderly spot helped me stay on top of things.
Papers Needed To Be Saved - Frequently Used
This was where the going got rough. Items that stayed here included DNR and ski passes and maps for road trips.
Papers Needed To Be Saved - Infrequently Used
Here's the classic, essential paperwork: passports, IDs not kept in the wallet, insurance documents, taxes, healthcare forms, "how-to" manuals, electronic guides, and clothing care tags. Check the photo gallery below to see the two KonMari-recommended file boxes I picked up from Office Max.
In this first week dedicated to papers, I was surprised by my strong urge to label different paper types around the home. I’ll be focused on doing this in my upcoming week, as the labels get delivered in the mail…and get to use my new mail sorting system!
I’m also feeling really positive about my newly added “Papers” categories of my own — “Papers That Require Action Items” and “Sentimental Daily Use”. The first, for my fancy paper sorting system so I can actually enjoy the mail opening need. And the latter for situations that are more associated with your hobbies. For example, if you’re a birder, maybe your bird journals stay on the coffee table with your books. Or if you journal, you might like to leave your notebook out for spontaneous insights.
These papers feel intentional, not like clutter. Everything, even papers, have a home.
The "Preparation"
Optional Items to Purchase
If you haven’t yet, get you paper Storage Apparatus / Office Max File Folders
Clear and see through are what the KonMari method recommends. I went with these. [$32.99]
Vinyl Label for Currently In Use Paper Location
I found this high quality, yet inexpensive vinyl label for my incoming papers from the mailbox, to be dealt with. I got the clear with black lettering and intend to hang it over the silver mail holder, on the wall. [~$9.11 each]
Metal Label for Must Be Saved - Infrequent Use and Frequent Use Paper Location
You can simply use a post it note or paper and tape to label your Office Max File Folders, but if you’re looking for something a little more intensive, these metal labels with an optional sticker back or magnet back were a great choice. [$31.61 for 2]
Stand Alone Labels for your Additional, Beloved Papers (not following the KonMari Method)
I needed some stand alone labels for my beloved journals, my sheet music, and my coloring journals. I have a special, dedicated lawyer bookshelf dedicated to these papers and wanted it to act as my shrine. So I ordered 3 of these for papers - “Tori’s Journals”, “Sheet Music”, and “Birding Journals”. What’s more, is I became obsessed with the rose gold, mirror design and ordered more for books. I wanted to get specific on helping myself and our visitors know which bookshelf was allocated to the “Hall of Famer Books” and which books we were “Books Currently Reading”. Our house might start to feel a little like a museum, but I’ll report back on how it feels! I started with 2 [$16.13 for 2]
Secondary “Currently In Use” Paper Sorter
For our Papers That Require Action Items, try this sorter. Imagine having just received 2 wedding invitations, a request for updated insurance information, and your registration to vote, all in the mail on the same day. In order to move your mail from the “Needs Attention” to “Has an Action Item”, you can at least celebrate you took the mail in from the mailbox by designating a “Needs" Attention” holder and a separate place for “Has an Action Item” when you’re ready to sip a tea and read some notes. [$86.63]
Tasks To Do
Just keep tidying, my dear. Papers are a pain in the butt. Enjoy another week of tidying papers and let us know if you end up getting any labels, the paper sorter, or other tools you like better.
