Drowning in Paper Piles? Use the T.I.D.Y. Method to Get Practically Organized

Hi Friends,

Take a deep breath and look around your house or office. How many paper piles can you spot? One? Three? More than you’d like to admit?

Now, ask yourself:
👉 Do you even know what’s in those stacks?
👉 Could you find an important paper quickly if you needed to?
👉 Are you sure every single piece of paper in that pile is actually necessary?

If just reading those questions made you cringe a little, you’re not alone. Most of us have that one paper we swear we just saw—but now? Vanished into the abyss of stacked-up bills, school papers, unopened mail, and who knows what else.

And if you’re the keeper of all things important in your home (hello, moms and home CEOs), it can feel especially overwhelming. Paper piles seem to grow overnight, multiplying when life gets busy—new baby, job change, home move, emergency—boom, paper explosion.

But here’s the good news: You can get your paper clutter under control with a simple system that makes sorting, storing, and maintaining so much easier.

desk with computer and pile of untidy papers

Declutter Your Papers with T.I.D.Y.

T – Toss What You Don’t Need 🗑️

Start easy—get rid of what you don’t need.
✅ Shred or recycle unnecessary papers.
✅ If it has personal information, shred it properly.
✅ Be ruthless—if you can find it online, you probably don’t need a paper copy.

I – Identify Categories 🏷️

Sort papers into simple groups:
📌 Active Papers – Daily-use documents that need to stay accessible.
📌 To Read – Magazines, newsletters, or documents to review later.
📌 Memorabilia – Sentimental papers, handwritten notes, photos.
📌 To File – Important documents that need to be stored long-term.

At this stage, you’re just sorting, not filing. No need to get lost in the details—just put like with like so you can see what you actually have.

D – Designate a Spot 📂

Now that you’ve sorted, give your papers a home.

For active papers, use a vertical file tote:
📂 To-Do (Action Items) – Papers requiring follow-up.
📂 Bills to Pay – Keep upcoming bills in one place.
📂 To File (New Papers) – Papers that need to be stored.
📂 To Read – So they don’t end up lost under the mail pile.
📂 Kids’ School/Activities – Class/Team rosters and schedules.

For long-term papers, keep it simple with broad categories:
🗄️ Medical – Health records, insurance, prescriptions.
🗄️ Finances – Banking, bills, tax records.
🗄️ Work – Contracts, employment documents.
🗄️ Home & Car – Mortgage, warranties, car repairs.
🗄️ Pets – Vet records, adoption papers.

Avoid overcomplicating it—broad categories = easier maintenance.

Y – Yay, You’re Organized! 🎉

Now file the papers according to your system and then everything has a place and maintaining it is the easy part:
✔ File new papers weekly so they don’t pile up again (consistency is key).
✔ Set a reminder to check your “To Read” and “To-Do” folders.
✔ Declutter regularly—outdated papers don’t need to stick around.

With this T.I.D.Y. system, you’ll finally have a simple, stress-free way to manage your paperwork. No more last-minute panicking when you need to find something fast!

Show Me Your Paper Piles!

Now, I want to see your progress! Snap a before photo of your messiest paper pile, try the T.I.D.Y. Method, and show me your after! Tag me on social media or comment below with your biggest paper struggle.

And if you’re ready for hands-on help to get your home or office organized for good, let’s chat! I’d love to help you create a system that actually works for you.