How to Go Paperless at Home and Work

Posted on by Phil Jones

Going paperless is a great way to reduce clutter, save time, and help the environment. Paper production and consumption have a significant impact on the planet’s resources, forests, water, energy, and climate. According to the Environmental Paper Network, the global paper industry is responsible for about 10% of deforestation, 6% of greenhouse gas emissions, and 20% of industrial water pollution. By going paperless, you can reduce your environmental footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future.

But how do you go paperless at home and work? It may seem daunting at first, but with the right tools and habits, you can make the transition smoothly and effectively. Here are some steps and tips to help you go paperless at home and work.

Step 1: Ignore the Backlog

The first step in going paperless is to forget about whatever paper backlog you’ve already accumulated and instead focus on the new habits you need going forward. Don’t let old papers hold you back from starting something new. You can deal with them later or not at all. The important thing is to adopt a go-forward approach and stop adding more paper to your life.

Step 2: Get These 5 Apps

To make real progress going paperless, you’ll need five apps or services:

  • A to-do list app. You need a to-do list app to write down and organize not only your tasks and chores, but also for shopping lists and other reminders. Some examples are Todoist, Asana, OmniFocus, TickTick, and Workflowy.
  • A scanning app. A scanning app helps you quickly digitize physical papers. You can use your smartphone camera or a dedicated scanner device. Some examples are Adobe Scan, Evernote Scannable, Microsoft Office Lens, CamScanner, and Scanbot.
  • An online storage service. An online storage service is where you will store the majority of your digitized papers. You can access them from any device and share them with others easily. Some examples are Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, and Box.
  • An e-signature tool. An e-signature tool lets you sign documents electronically without printing them out. You can also request signatures from others online. Some examples are DocuSign, Adobe Sign, HelloSign, SignEasy, and JotForm.
  • A note-taking app. A note-taking app lets you capture your thoughts, ideas, notes, sketches, and more in digital form. You can also organize them into notebooks or folders and sync them across your devices. Some examples are Evernote, OneNote, Google Keep, Notion, and Bear.

Step 3: Pick a Storage Service

An online storage service is essential for going paperless because it allows you to store all your digitized papers in one place and access them from anywhere. You can also backup your files automatically and protect them from loss or damage.

To pick a storage service that suits your needs, consider these factors:

  • Storage space. How much storage space do you need for your files? Most services offer a free plan with a limited amount of space (usually between 2GB to 15GB) and paid plans with more space (usually between 100GB to unlimited). You can also get extra space by referring friends or completing tasks.
  • Pricing. How much are you willing to pay for more storage space? Most services charge a monthly or annual fee for their paid plans (usually between $2 to $10 per month). Some services also offer discounts for annual payments or bundles with other products.
  • Features. What features do you need from your storage service? Some features that may be useful for going paperless are optical character recognition (OCR), which lets you search for text within scanned images; document scanning, which lets you scan papers directly from the app; file sharing and collaboration, which lets you share files with others and work on them together; version history, which lets you restore previous versions of your files; encryption, which protects your files from unauthorized access; and integration with other apps or services that you use.
  • Compatibility. What devices do you use to access your files? Make sure that your storage service has apps or web access for all your devices (such as Windows PC, Macbook, iPhone, Android phone) and that they sync seamlessly.

Step 4: Scan Your Papers

Once you have chosen a storage service, you can start scanning your papers and uploading them to your online account. You can use either your smartphone camera or a dedicated scanner device to scan your papers. You can use a scanning app on your phone, such as Adobe Scan, Evernote Scannable, Microsoft Office Lens, CamScanner, or Scanbot. These apps let you take a picture of your paper and automatically crop, enhance, and save it as a PDF or image file. You can also use a dedicated scanner device, such as Fujitsu ScanSnap, Brother ADS-1700W, or Epson WorkForce ES-50. These devices let you scan multiple pages at once and save them to your computer or cloud storage.

When scanning your papers, make sure to:

  • Scan both sides of the paper if it has content on both sides.
  • Scan in color if the paper has color elements that are important.
  • Scan at a high resolution (at least 300 dpi) for better quality and readability.
  • Name your files clearly and consistently so you can find them easily later.
  • Organize your files into folders or categories based on their type, purpose, or date.

Step 5: Switch to E-Statements, E-Cards and Online Payments

One of the easiest ways to reduce paper consumption is to switch to electronic statements, cards, and payments for your bills, subscriptions, memberships, and other services. Most companies and organizations offer this option nowadays and encourage their customers to go paperless. By doing so, you can:

  • Save time and hassle of opening, sorting, filing, and shredding paper mail.
  • Save money on stamps, envelopes, checks, and late fees.
  • Save space by eliminating paper clutter from your home or office.
  • Save trees by reducing paper waste and deforestation.
  • Save the environment by reducing carbon emissions and pollution from paper production and transportation.

To switch to e-statements, e-cards and online payments, you can:

  • Contact your service providers and ask them to send you electronic statements or invoices instead of paper ones. You can usually do this online through their website or app, by phone, or by email.
  • Sign up for online banking and bill pay services with your bank or credit card company. You can usually do this online through their website or app. This way, you can view your account balance, transactions, statements, and alerts online and pay your bills electronically with a few clicks or taps.
  • Use online payment platforms or apps such as PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, or Apple Pay to send and receive money from friends, family, or businesses. You can usually do this online through their website or app. This way, you can avoid using cash or checks that require paper receipts or envelopes.
  • Use e-cards or digital gift cards instead of paper cards or vouchers for special occasions such as birthdays, holidays, weddings, or graduations. You can find many websites or apps that offer a variety of e-cards or digital gift cards that you can customize and send by email or text message.