9 Tips to Control Your Paper at Home

1. To reduce paper piles at home, walk straight from the mail box to the trash can or recycling bin. Dispose of the junk mail. Opening it wastes time. Just pitch it in.

2. Set up a file or basket for each member of your household. Sort mail, school papers to sign, reading materials and even notes to each other.

3. Allow newspapers to remain in the house only for a specific number of days. At the end of that period (one to six days), dispose of them, read or not.

4. Tear interesting articles out of magazines to read later. Put them in a "to read" file or basket. Dispose of the bulky magazine.

5. Make a home for any piece of paper that doesn't have one. Avoiding piles means making a decision, NOW, on each piece of paper.

6. Set up the simplest filing system possible. Use broad categories and you'll be more likely to file. Buy a portable file box so you can file while watching TV.

7. Post appropriate information where you need it. Hang a stain removal guide in your laundry room. Tape instruction manuals to appliances and electronics.

8. Place mail order catalogs in a reading basket near a cozy chair. Keep only the ones you truly enjoy. Have sticky notes and pen ready for ordering notes.

9. Make a "hold" file for sporting schedules, tickets to future events and department/specialty store coupons you might use. Use this file for anything you will need at a future date. Weed it out monthly.