I quit stuffing papers into a file cabinet years ago, because I rarely (if ever) needed to access them. Almost anything can be converted to digital now. How-to:
• Find it online: If what I'm hanging on to (think instruction manuals and monthly statements) is available in electronic form, I toss the hard copy and take a minute to download the digital version.
• Create a system: To prevent digital clutter, I use folders on my computer desktop and obvious file names like "05-2017-checking."
• Collect the small stuff: I rely on a free organizational app called Evernote to save anything I might want to reference later, from a magazine page to a gift idea to an account number. Since it lets me add a title, tags, and keywords and scans the text as an image, searching for something is simple.
• Skip the scanner: I don't need another gadget when I have a smartphone. I use the camera app to take photos of important papers, then upload them to Evernote or my computer to keep my physical desktop clear.