How can I cut down on paper in my life?
Most of paper that makes its way into our lives comes through the mail, so place your recycle bin between the mailbox and where you enter the house. Make it a habit to immediately toss all junk mail.
Set up a simple mail station that includes the following items: A wire "IN" basket; a recycle container; a three-slot wall-mounted file holder; three file folders (titled "Pay," "Read," and "File"), and a quality shredder.
Make it a habit to handle your mail within 24 hours of receipt. Put magazines where you plan to read them. Open each piece of mail and discard the outer envelope and the promotional junk paper inside. Mate each bill with its return envelope and place in the "Pay" folder. Once the bill has been paid, you can move invoice into the "File" folder.
To further cut down on paper, avoid printing what can be read online. Scan documents for electronic storage, when possible; cancel subscriptions to magazines you no longer read; and request your name be removed from mailing lists.