How to keep household papers in check

Guests are coming! No time to think. Just sweep all that kitchen counter papers into a shopping bag, and stuff it under the couch. Much better. The counter looks all nice and clear now. You can just set up the drinks and ice bucket, and voila!
You know what happens after the party, right? The paper stays under the couch. Or tucked in the guest bedroom. Out of sight, out of mind. It all seemed pretty easy. Maybe too easy.
You have a nagging feeling: Maybe that's where the insurance policy ended up. Dad's lottery tickets. Uncle Louie's Florida address. Vacation photos. Loan documents. Gift cards. Investment papers. Tax receipts. Grandma's last letter to you. Weeks and months pass by, and pretty soon, you need a backhoe to excavate The Great Kitchen Paper Dump. You can't let it go. But you can't face it either. It's all one big mess.
Household paper presents unique challenges to all of us. It demands attention, careful thought and decisions. This is difficult to achieve when everyday activities distract us with endlessly pressing demands.
According to Barbara Hemphill, author of "Taming the Paper Tiger," "Filing something is never easier than it is today, and with every day you wait, it only becomes more and more difficult."
Paper piles start with postponed decisions. Repeat the process daily, and the clutter cycle takes root. Just like weeds in the garden, it becomes more painful and time consuming to eradicate the longer you ignore it.
Why is it so hard to make these decisions? One big reason: We don't have a system for processing incoming paper. Organizing expert Kathy Waddill says that organizing needs to be "simple, flexible and tailored to your life in the present moment."
How many of us have such a system set up for household paper? Think about it: How many steps does it take to place documents in the file cabinet? Do you have a file cabinet? Are tools and containers conveniently located where you work? Where are the recycle bin and shredder located? We all have recipes for making dinner. What is the recipe for handling paper?
Here is an organizing recipe for your kitchen paper. With five minutes every day, your in-box will be empty and your paper will be organized for action.