Praise for The Paper Solution
Systems are the engine to create efficiency in the home. The Paper Solution gives practical tips and tools that allow us all to free up our precious time to focus on what truly matters.
Eve Rodsky, New York Timesbestselling author of Fair Play
Drowning in paper? With Lisas ingenious methods, you can take control, get more organized, and free up incredible amounts of time. Youll never lose a day to hunting down a permission slip again.
Laura Vanderkam, author of Off the Clock and 168 Hours
Professional organizer Lisa Woodruff brings a fresh and realistic approach to paper. I loved that she didnt tell me to get rid of everything. Lisa shares a method for handling paper in a way that eliminates the unnecessary and keeps whats needed right where youll easily find it. A must-read for anyone who has ever struggled with too much paper and wondered if they are keeping and shredding the right documents. Read this and youll know what to do with everything that comes your way.
Becky Rapinchuk, author of Clean Mamas Guide to a Healthy Home and Simply Clean
The Paper Solution walks you step by step to conquering the paper dilemma in your home.... Her tips are practical and doable, leaving readers feeling empowered!
Maria Dismondy, author, speaker, and publisher of Cardinal Rule Press
Lisas enthusiasm for productivity and organization shines through every chapter of this book. Her easy-to-follow implementation strategy makes quick work of overwhelming paper piles, and the comprehensive detail within each chapter assures all paper clutter questions have an answer. Lisa is the expert on all things paper clutter, and The Paper Solution is proof! This go-to resource provides the information, structure, tools, and motivation to properly manage your paper clutter and stop it from taking over your home and life.
Andrea Dekker, professional organizer and blogger at AndreaDekker.com
Even in our digital age, paper remains one of the biggest sources of clutter both at home and in the workplace.... In The Paper Solution, Lisa Woodruff has presented a practical, actionable approach to solving that problem. I found myself tabbing pages and highlighting sections that spell out easy-to-follow steps for clearing our homes and workspaces of paper clutter. I cant wait to share this encouraging and truly helpful book with my friends, colleagues, and listeners.
Laura McClellan, lawyer, productivity coach, and host of The Productive Woman podcast
Its a miracle! A system of managing papers (and my life) that works in tandem with my ADHD brain (and those of my clients). The Sunday Basket concept is so simple, yet so brilliant. The book takes you through the entire system, step by step. Great reference and great program. Highly recommended!
Linda Roggli, award-winning author and founder of the ADDiva Network
G. P. P UTNAM S S ONS
Publishers Since 1838
An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
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Copyright 2020 by Lisa Woodruff
Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Woodruff, Lisa K., author. | Nolan-Pleckham, Mary, author.
Title: The paper solution: what to shred, what to save, and how to stop it from taking over your life / Lisa K. Woodruff, with Mary Nolan-Pleckham.
Description: New York: G.P. Putnams Sons, 2020. | Includes index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2020016464 (print) | LCCN 2020016465 (ebook) | ISBN 9780593187760 (hardback) | ISBN 9780593187777 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Orderliness. | RecordsManagement. | Personal archivesManagement. | Time management.
Classification: LCC BJ1533.O73 W673 2020 (print) | LCC BJ1533.O73 (ebook) | DDC 651.5/1dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020016464
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020016465
Charts by Shannon Plunkett
pid_prh_5.5.0_c0_r0
TO MY HUSBAND, GREG, AND OUR CHILDREN, JOEY AND ABBY. YOU MAKE OUR HOUSE A HOME.
CONTENTS
AUTHORS NOTE
The stories in The Paper Solution are all true, and theyre gleaned from my personal experiences, the stories of clients Ive worked with, and anecdotes that podcast listeners and Organize 365 community members have shared with me. Some of the identifying characteristics have been changed in certain stories, and a few stories have been combined in the editing process. But its important to me that you know that youre not alone in dealing with the paper tsunami in your lifethis is an issue in homes and with families everywhere. And the good news: theres a solution. Read on....
Part I
we are drowning in paper
CHAPTER 1
The Paper Tsunami
Why Paper Is So Importantand How to Keep Much, Much Less of It
A paper tsunami is coming, and we need to be ready. Some of us have already experienced it, and many more will soon face the deluge. Our houses are full of paper, our parents houses are full of paper, and some of us have grandparents houses full of paper, too. Thats generations of clutter waiting to crash down on our unsuspecting heads!
But theres a better way. You can ditch the filing cabinets stuffed full of documents (that you may or may not ever need to look at again). You can find the papers you do need easily, effortlessly, and without stress or drama. You can create a system for organizing your paper that actually works for you, not against you.
I know, because I was once where you are sitting right nowstaring down a paper tsunami, filled with dread and uncertaintyand Ive come out the other side.
Why I Care So Much About Paper
My name is Lisa Woodruff. Yes, I am one of those crazy-productive, ultra-organized people you love to hate. Yep, I was born that way. My closets were always neatly organized, and I live for a finished to-do list. (Sorry.) But even I found myself completely flummoxed and overwhelmed when it came to dealing with one particular type of clutter: paper.