Even though we live in a largely digital world, many of us still carry the torch of good old paper. There’s something so satisfying about the tactile experience of hard copies. But when you factor in bills, mail, receipts, etc., it can quickly get out of hand. Of course, you can spend hours organizing and managing everything, or you can get rid of all the papers you no longer need, leaving only the important items. And what better time to do some decluttering than before the New Year? This is what a professional organizer says you should pay attention to.

Old invoices you can locate online

Most bills, including electricity, gas and internet, are now all digital. “You can get rid of paper versions if you can find them elsewhere,” says Megan Ludvinsky, founder of About Space Organizing in central Arkansas. Remember, anything with an account number must be shredded. It seems tedious, but it’s essential to protect your privacy and your accounts.

Previous employment documents

For some reason, we tend to feel like we have to hang on to outdated documents that don’t really matter in our lives after leaving a company. “Instead of just recycling these papers, it’s best to take precautions and shred them to ensure any privacy requirements are met,” recommends Ludvinsky.

Old coupons and expired gift cards

We all have a pile of coupons and gift cards we’ve been meaning to use them for ages, even though half of them can’t even be exchanged anymore. Now is the time to go through them and recycle anything that has already expired: there is nothing to be gained by keeping them. Additionally, Ludvinsky says “they may go off because you intended to use them and were unable to.”

Spam

“Junk mail never even lands on a surface in my house,” Ludvinsky insists. “I walk from the mailbox straight to the recycling bin – they don’t go through.” If mail is piling up in your home and you feel overwhelmed or want to go through everything first, remember that it’s not called “junk mail” for nothing and delete it.

While you’re at it, use Direct Marketing Association And Consumer Credit Reporting Industry websites to prevent the majority of spam from being sent to your home in the first place. When you opt out, these services prevent your contact information from being sold to third parties.

Old school homework

According to Ludvinsky, she discovers a surprising amount of homework and school notes in her clients’ homes. Depending on when you attended school, you may find that this information is now outdated as education and knowledge are constantly evolving. “Plus, all the topics from your schooling that interest you today can be found online much faster than digging through your old notes from past classes,” she adds.

Recipes

We used to keep receipts in old shoe boxes, but that’s not really necessary anymore. “Unless you need to keep specific receipts for tax reasons or possible reporting, these can be thrown away,” advises Ludvinsky. Does this make you nervous? Keep in mind that many receipts are emailed to us these days, reducing the need for hard copies.