Here's some advice about what to do about all those papers which are piling up on your desk, or in a drawer or filing cabinet.

1. Check with your accountant, lawyer, or office manager for retention guidelines on tax and legal papers. If you must keep these papers for legal reasons, place them in storage.
2. Confidential files must never be left out on your desk and must be filed in lockable storage.
3. Keep "core information" only - materials you are actually using.
4. Ask these questions to purge your piles:

   o Does this paper tie in with the core activities of my business?
   o Will this help me complete a project I am working on right now?
   o Does this paper represent a viable business opportunity?
   o Do I refer to this paper on a regular basis?
   o Will this paper help me make money?
   o Do I have time to do anything with this paper?
   o Are there tax or legal reasons to save this?
   o Would my life/work change if I didn't have this piece of paper?
5. Throw These Out:

   o Old product solicitations - ads, mailings, catalog items
   o Old magazines, newspapers, books, and articles
   o Old research materials and literature
   o Duplicates of documents - keep the original in a plastic sleeve for protection
   o Previous drafts of letters and proposals - retain final version only