I like to recycle, but sometimes this backfires I'm talking about my scratch paper pile, which expands at an exponential rate to my usage. Every piece of good size paper that has a writable surface ends up in the pile, and although I use scratch paper to scribble down my grocery list, to-dos, notes to my husband, or reminders to myself, somehow I still end up with a good size pile.
Printable coupons are mainly to blame for this since the actual coupon only occupies a fraction of the page. If I know where the coupon is going to print on the page, I reload the page in the opposite direction and have it print the coupon on the other end. But most of the time, the coupon is flat dab in the middle, or there are advertisements under the coupon. Either way, I end up with an unhealthy amount of scrap paper.
I really hate throwing things out, not because I'm a pack rat, but because I like to recycle and I feel stupid spending money on things that I'm throwing out. But I've decided that I need to be a lot stricter about what actually qualifies as scrap paper. My new requirements are that the piece must be mostly blank on BOTH sides. This might sound needlessly strict, but it's a very easily met requirement for printable coupons.
Printable coupons are mainly to blame for this since the actual coupon only occupies a fraction of the page. If I know where the coupon is going to print on the page, I reload the page in the opposite direction and have it print the coupon on the other end. But most of the time, the coupon is flat dab in the middle, or there are advertisements under the coupon. Either way, I end up with an unhealthy amount of scrap paper.
I really hate throwing things out, not because I'm a pack rat, but because I like to recycle and I feel stupid spending money on things that I'm throwing out. But I've decided that I need to be a lot stricter about what actually qualifies as scrap paper. My new requirements are that the piece must be mostly blank on BOTH sides. This might sound needlessly strict, but it's a very easily met requirement for printable coupons.
The pile on the left is my throw-out pile, and I'm keeping everything on the right. Full sheets of paper are going to be put into a separate pile, because I can use those again to print directions or other one-time use documents. I would print coupons on them, but some stores to refuse to accept coupons with other stuff on the back, stating that they won't get reimbursed to it. Sounds like a lousy excuse to me, but I just don't have the time to fight that battle.
The four pink piles you see were rescued from the scrap pile. A while back I cleared out my desk calendar, and cut up the big sheets into workable sizes. What I failed to realize in my haste was that there were labeled boxes on the calendar for "To-Do", "Important Notes", "Appointments" and "Notes". I went through my scrap pile and cut them down to just those boxes, and now not only do I have scrap paper to use, but it's pretty scrap paper too!
The last pile are pieces of scrap paper that fit my new criteria of being empty on both sides. Surprisingly, I ended up with less than I expected, but then again, I did use a fair amount this weekend for my grocery list and notes. If I find that I'm running out of scrap paper, I can always relax the requirements, but for now, I'm happy with what I have.
The four pink piles you see were rescued from the scrap pile. A while back I cleared out my desk calendar, and cut up the big sheets into workable sizes. What I failed to realize in my haste was that there were labeled boxes on the calendar for "To-Do", "Important Notes", "Appointments" and "Notes". I went through my scrap pile and cut them down to just those boxes, and now not only do I have scrap paper to use, but it's pretty scrap paper too!
The last pile are pieces of scrap paper that fit my new criteria of being empty on both sides. Surprisingly, I ended up with less than I expected, but then again, I did use a fair amount this weekend for my grocery list and notes. If I find that I'm running out of scrap paper, I can always relax the requirements, but for now, I'm happy with what I have.
2 comments:
That's so funny... I am EXACTLY the same way! I have a drawer where I stuff all of the scrap paper that I have, to be used again, yes for printing coupons, and writing To-do's on. Everything you said was me to a "T"! Don't you hate it when the coupons have those annoying ads on the bottom? Talk about a waste of ink and paper! I always try to cancel the printing once I see that the coupon itself is done, to avoid printing the ads as well. Thanks for the organizing tips! I think many of us could use them :)
I love printable coupons because they are easy to find and print.
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