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Office

A Lighter Way to Scan

If you’ve been reading my blog for some time, you know I love my scanner. My goal is to be as paperless as possible, and my scanner has been instrumental in helping me achieve that.

So I never, ever, ever dreamed that I might declutter my scanner (and I haven’t yet). But lately, I’ve been bypassing it and using my new favorite app, Scannable.

I should add a disclaimer here that I’m no technology guru. I can count the number of apps I use on one hand: Instagram, Kindle, and the camera and calculator apps that came installed on my phone.… {Read more}

My First In-Person Decluttering Session!

I’ve been writing about decluttering for seven years now, and people often ask me if I do in-home sessions (like Marie Kondo). I never have—because even though I think it’d be great fun, sticking to writing helps me maintain a good work/life balance while raising a little one.

However, when an Amazon editor needed help with her messy desk, I couldn’t resist. I packed up the family for a trip to Seattle—and while Mr. Minimalist and Plumblossom hit the Space Needle and Pike Place Market, I went to spread The Joy of Less to the Amazon office.

As it was my first in-person decluttering session, I wasn’t sure what to expect.… {Read more}

100 Possessions: Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500

When I was a carefree, world-traveling digital nomad, with no permanent address or mailbox, it was fairly easy to be paperless. I had few commitments, and little contact with people or organizations who found it necessary to bestow piles of printed matter upon me.

Now that I’m a homeowner with a child, being paper-free has become more of a challenge. In the past two years, paperwork has been flying at me in all directions: from mortgage statements, to home improvement invoices, to medical records, to school info, to utility bills that aren’t available electronically (I like to keep the latter to track water and energy use).… {Read more}

My Minimalist Filing System

Now that I have a permanent address, I once again have a mailbox. Yikes! I forgot how much paperwork can flow into your life through that little rectangular compartment.

To keep things under control, I’ve been employing the strategies I wrote about in The Minimalist Mailbox: things like signing up for online billing, keeping my name off catalog lists, and putting a freeze on my credit report.

However, some papers still make it through my defenses (and with a mortgage, child, and business, there are some I’m obligated to keep). And for that, I’ve devised a minimalist filing system which I’ll share with you today.… {Read more}

100 Possessions: Laptop

When you live with as little as possible, every item has to pull its own weight. And the more needs a single thing can satisfy, the greater its value in a minimalist household.

With that in mind, if I had to pick my most “valuable” possession, it would be my laptop. It’s a true minimalist workhorse; not only has it enabled me to purge scores of other items, it’s also greatly reduced the amount of living and workspace I need.

How has my laptop helped simplify my life? Oh, let me count the ways! This one little device has eliminated the following physical things from my home:

1.… {Read more}

My Minimalist Workspace

Today I thought I’d give you a peek at my minimalist workspace – in case you’ve ever wondered, this is where the magic happens. :)

From the time I was a child, I’ve never been a fan of desks. When I was young, I used to spread my homework out on the floor; somehow it felt more expansive, more conducive to creative thought. I was always slightly uncomfortable in schools and offices, where I had to conform to a more proper workspace.

When I moved into my new flat, I was thrilled to see the deep, low windowsills – a perfect minimalist office!… {Read more}

10 Steps to a Minimalist Office

After purging all my office supplies when we moved overseas, I was determined to keep my new workspace as simple and streamlined as possible. Not only do I work better in an uncluttered environment; I don’t want to accumulate anything extra by the next time we move!

Here’s ten techniques to keep things to a minimum:

1. Stop incoming paperwork. Get off mailing lists, cancel magazine subscriptions, and sign up for online billing and statements. The less physical mail you have to deal with (and file), the better!

2. Digitize existing paperwork. Sure, a scanner is one more piece of office equipment; but it’ll probably take up less space than the paperwork it replaces!… {Read more}

Minimalist Dilemma (or Blessing?)

It is 10:55pm here, I’m working on our tax return, and the ONE pencil we own has run out of lead.

Instead of staying up to the wee hours mired in the fascinating intricacies of the US tax code, I’m going to finish my glass of wine and go to bed.

Who says minimalism doesn’t have its perks? ;-)… {Read more}

Minimizing Paperwork: Print to PDF

Like many people, I make the majority of my financial transactions online: from shopping to paying bills, from retrieving statements to managing bank accounts.

In the past, I used to print off a paper confirmation of each one. For some reason, I thought I needed physical “proof” every time money changed hands—be it a deposit into a savings account, or a receipt for a sweater ordered over the internet. So although I was conducting the majority of my business electronically, my files were still bulging.

Then I discovered the three magic words that eliminated 90% of my paperwork: “print to PDF.”

Oh, how I love this option!… {Read more}

Minimalist Office: Downsizing Supplies

Back in our former house, we had a plastic bin filled with office supplies. I can’t begin to recount all the contents, but know it included more envelopes, rubber bands, paperclips, staples, pens, pencils, markers, and sticky notes than we would ever use or need.

The cache had slowly accumulated since our college days. And, as is often the case with office supplies, we were hesitant to declutter them–because we were sure we’d find a need for the neon highlighters or A-7 envelopes the day after we threw them away.

The main problem: it’s difficult to purchase most supplies in small quantities.… {Read more}