Cleaning Expert's 'Pitch, File, Pile' Strategy for Conquering Paper Chaos at Home is Genius

In most homes, you'll find a stack of paper on the kitchen counter full of bills, mailers, and "important" papers that need to be dealt with or filed away. But when we finally get around to going through the stack, most of it probably ends up in the trash. Jill Comes Clean recently shared some tips on Instagram about dealing with the paper clutter, and you can start using them today.

Her first tip is simple; when you bring the mail in each day, stand at the trash can and throw out the junk mail and mail that you don't need. Next, open the mail you need to look at and either put it in a pile to take care of or file away later. If you no longer need it, her next tip will help you get rid of it properly. She calls her three-step system "Pitch, File, Pile." Genius.

In her caption she writes, "The steps to dealing with paper clutter?
- Sort and toss what you don’t need
- Shred what needs shredded
- Keep the rest and either file or put away immediately or it’s okay to place in a small pile for a little but keep it tidy or just a bin or file
- At the end of every week go through it and put items where they belong. This way the pile stays small and manageable."

These tips make so much sense! I love that Jill said it's okay to have that stack of papers but to keep it organized and tidy. If my junk drawer had enough room, that's where I'd store mine! Viewers also appreciated the simple tips. @lindsayrosenbuck admits, "School papers that come home is what gets us over here every time! So much paper! LOL!"

@rebeccabrown eyes shared, "So I love the paper shredder and blackout plus the envelope opener!" You can use a Sharpie to blackout personal information or find a blackout marker on Amazon. The mini paper shredders can be found there too, and you can get both for about $25. But then that's two more cluttery things you have to find homes for; I'd rather just tear up, cut up, or compost my sensitive mail instead!

More Tips for Dealing with Paper Clutter at Home

One of the easiest ways to reduce paper clutter is to go digital whenever possible. Don't have bills and correspondence mailed to you via snail mail; instead, when it's an option, have them sent electronically. You'll never be able to get rid of all mail completely, but this helps. At this point, most of the mail I get at home is just junk mail.

With the mail you do need to keep, file what can be filed and set reminders on your phone for things in the stack of papers that need to be dealt with. That way, they don't get forgotten about or due dates missed.

But it's not only mail that causes paper chaos and clutter. Kids bring home papers from school. There are sports schedules to deal with, invitations to friends' parties, and all kinds of other things that we find in their backpacks. Like Jill said, it's okay to put it all in a pile...as long as you deal with it once a week! When my kids were little, it was easier for me to do it daily instead of trying to go through three backpacks at the end of the week. Just figure out what works best for you and go with it!