Want a Paperless Home or Office? Try This Technique to Come Closer to the Reality

For more than 20 years, leading technology magazines have talked about the time when our offices and even our homes would no longer be congested with paper or big filing cabinets. Yet if anything, we use more paper today than ever before. Instead of storing information on computers, we often insist on hard copy versions, sometimes numbering as many as five duplicates.

But you, through the use of simple technology you may already have on hand, can come a lot closer to the reality of a relatively paper-free work or living space. Even if you don't mind the paper, the security of being able to lay your hand on a particular document at any time can mean peace of mind. Plus you can always find something to do with the room you free up when you move those ugly filing cabinets to the garage or basement.

I went on this mission nearly a decade ago. I am a pack rat, a poorly organized one at that, and the result just is not pretty. I hold onto paper until it has lost its crispness, and sometimes even the ability to read its printing. But the more paper I keep, the harder it is to find something specific, regardless of how many storage cabinets I once filled and the time I spend sorting and filing. I definitely needed a better way to store important paperwork.

About this time, I acquired a good flatbed scanner. This is an essential component in the process because, unlike other types of scanners, a flatbed makes it easiest to copy into digital form all the various types of documents, including applications, tax returns, and cards of all sizes, you are likely to want.

If you have another kind of scanner, such as a hand-held or sheet-fed, consider buying a flatbed as well. There are some decent models from Agfa and other manufacturers that run as low as $25-40. You will be glad you did.