Is it really possible to have a paperless home? With the junk mail that arrives through your letterbox each day, and with the amount of paper you probably have stored in your home already, it might seem like a bit of an impossibility.
However, in an effort to both declutter and tidy your home, as well as doing your bit to be eco-friendly, you really should make the effort, especially when considering my waste facts, some of which make for scary reading.
Here are just a few of the things you can do today.
#1: Sort through your paperwork at home
When I say paperwork, I am talking about anything that pertains to your household bills, tax records, work files, and any other paper document that is taking up too much space in your filing cabinets and drawers at home.
For anything you don’t need, shred anything that contains sensitive information, and either put the remains in your recycling bin or use a paper recycling company to dispose of the remnants responsibly.
For anything else, digitise them using your printer’s scanner, and store the e-copies in secure folders on your hard drive. You might also want to back them up on the cloud or on a separate USB stick. Then, as before, shred and recycle them, as you should no longer need them clogging up your home.
#2: Opt out of junk mail
If you are receiving junk mail from companies you have used in the past, contact them, and request that your name be removed from any mailing lists.
For anything else, contact Royal Mail using this form, and tell them to stop putting junk mail through your door. You might also put a sticker on your door as a reminder to the mailman, and hopefully, this will also deter any businesses who regularly commit to flyer drops in your community.
I also recommend you sign up to the Mailing Preference Service, as they will ensure your name is removed from any pesky mailing lists you are unaware of.
#3: Contact your billing companies
Rather than receive bills and statements through your door, contact the relevant companies and ask them to send you e-statements instead.
Alternatively, visit the relevant websites, as there might be an option on your account page to opt for electronic instead of paper billing. You should contact your bank too, as once you sign up to online banking, there will no longer be any need to have a bank statement delivered to your door.
Going one step further, you should also pay your bills online and on time, as this will give utility, credit companies, etc. less incentive to contact you by mail.
#4: Stop buying newspapers and magazines
You can now buy and view newspapers and magazines online, so rather than buying the paper alternatives, consider downloading them onto your computer or smart device instead.
You should also consider the publications that you currently subscribe to. If you rarely read them once delivered, do the sensible thing and save yourself some cash by cancelling once it comes time for renewal.
I hope these suggestions have been helpful to you, but let me know what you think. And if you have taken any other steps to achieve a paperless home, share your tips in the comments section below.
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