How to Declutter and Simplify Your Writing Life

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My writing life was out of control.  After spending two weeks decluttering my writing space, I set a new goal to stay clutter-free.

One of my biggest problems is paper.  While I love to write in libraries and coffee shops, my primary writing space is in a guest bedroom in my house. But years of rough drafts, files, and old mail left me surrounded by lots of abandoned paper.  As I looked around, I realized my writing oasis was uninspiring.  I was in desperate need of a makeover.

Here are the steps I took to clean up my writing act and a few tools to help me simplify my writing life.

STEP #1 – Divide and Conquer

I divided all of my clutter into four piles – keep, donate, relocate and trash.  I used my shredder to get rid of every unwanted, outdated piece of paper.  Only a small amount of paperwork remained. I found a few storage boxes, which fit nicely on a shelf in the closet, to hold the items I plan to keep.  I also found a portable file folder to help me when writing on the road.

STEP #2 – Let Things Go

After my paper shredding exercise, which left me with seven full trash bags, I knew I had to deal with my mindset on paper.  Going forward, most of my bills are paperless. As part of my new process, I now deal with paper within a week by either filing it or throwing it away.  For my writing projects, I use cloud-based storage and a flash drive that works with my smartphone.  A small desk organizer helps to keep office supplies in one place.

STEP #3 – Make Room for Inspiration

In an article by NY Book Editors on how to build the perfect writing space, I was reminded to include things that inspire me.  In my new writing space, now clean and clutter free, I added a few things like silk flowers and the latest picture of my husband and son.

Since reorganizing my writing space, I have learned a lot about decluttering and simplifying my writing space.

If you have any ideas on how I can keep it going, please share.