Paper clutter

I battle against paper clutter .
I have piles of paper clutter everywhere .
The postman brings me more everyday.
I recycle it religiously but the blooming stuff reproduces the minute my backs turned .
I burn everything that has my name and address on it.
I file important stuff
I get the Sunday Times so that's my only newspaper clutter

Other people don't seem to have this problem.
Their houses are paper free.
How do they manage it ?
Hints gratefully received .

Re: Paper clutter

I hide it away till none of it's relevant then chuck it in recycling....out of sight out of mind

Re: Paper clutter

Don't worry...you are not alone. I am drowning under piles of paper.

I'm not sure why I have this problem....I don't remember it being so bad years ago, unless it is just the accumulation of yet more years of records.

However, I do know that part of the problem is the so-called move towards a paperless society, ironically.

The more that firms do online, the more I have to print out for myself. If it's not a tangible bit of paper, it gets lost in the computer for ever, so I print it out.

The problem is, I find, that instead of a neat one-page letter sent by the bank or shop, etc., the print-out is in larger type, and often takes three or four sheets of paper.

Far from saving paper, I am using loads more paper (and ink) than ever I used to. It may be saving the firms their money, but not me!



In my defence, I do recycle a lot of papers that have blank sides as notepaper, but even so, it is annoying.

Online manuals are the worst. Instead of a nice, small, neat booklet, you have to print out reams of large-typed A4 sheets. Why they can't make the print smaller, God only knows.

Re: Paper clutter

My post lady lately brings a load of paper junk mail with her.

Even if I have no proper mail, she still stuffs a load of advertising blah through my door, drives me nuts.

I think you have to tell the post office you don't want this stuff and they will stop doing it. Does anyone else get this?

I am also inundated with gardening catalogues.
I do find them interesting because I enjoy gardening, but these firms send so many.
I get a Vegetable catalogue, a Seed calalogue, a Bedding plant catalogue, a spring bulb catalogue, as well as those who put it all in one booklet thick as a phone book!

Then a couple of weeks later it starts all again with the updated versions.

Do others also get the books of raffle tickets to sell for Charities as well?
Plus all the local Take-Away menu's and price lists!

So yes Muddy, I get loads of paper clutter too.

Re: Paper clutter

I agree the amount of printed rubbish we receive ridiculous. The government should be clamping down on it if they are serious about saving the planet - they are not, of course.

Re: Paper clutter

You can’t even buy a newspaper without catalogues and flyers falling out, so they go into my recycling box. Actually they, with the papers, are on top, under the waste bin! Heh heh.

I stopped the free newspapers and read online now, or skim through them quickly, but won’t give up my daily dose of the Mail (6 days a week). I also cancelled my computer magazine subscription and can read that online too, along with other mags, courtesy of my library subscription.

But, my paper mountains are and can be enormous. When emptying and clearing out the lounge cupboard the other day, I found several bags of stuff for shredding. So they have gone back in, till such time either my sister gets her house, or I do, and we get an incinerator to burn the lot. I think she might have more stuff to get rid of.

When I finish my medication, I cut up the labels with my name on. And I have so many.

If the postie drops junk mail into our letter cage, they go into a waste bin beside it, and every so often one of our neighbours gets rid. I often forget to return unwanted mail with the words ‘RTS, please remove from mailing list’ scrawled on the envelope, till I find a pile and have to open up the envelope, discard the contents and shred/cut up anything with my details on. I have a pair of scissors that has multiple blades, for shredding.

Re: Paper clutter

I always buy my paper in the supermarket and remove all the fliers and stick them in their receipt bin.

Re: Paper clutter

So much for the "paperless future" we were promised on Tomorrow's World!
I have more paper now than ever! Some of it I printed myself!
That's another thing we have many more bills now, Internet, mobile, printer paper, ink...

I think about 85% if not more, of my post is junk mail.

Re: Paper clutter

We burn ours. Shred lots.
Maybe Paper Mache should make a comeback?

Re: Paper clutter

There has been a significant reduction in paper usage here in the states. My mailbox is no longer full of adverts, bulk mailing we call it here, etc. I receive my monthly electric, internet, insurance, all in emails, and pay them through the electronic banking.
Clothing catalogs still come, but I welcome them. Even the newspapers can be found online.
Much, much less paper. All to the good.