Printer paper: a simple way to keep it organised

You open a pack of printer paper, use a few sheets… and where does the rest go?

If, like me, you have paper in different weights, coloured sheets, labels and creative supplies, you know how quickly they can get mixed up. I love making special birthday cards, letters and flyers, so there is always plenty of paper in my home office.

The solution I found is simple, practical and makes use of a space I already had: the cabinet under the printer.

First, group things in a way that makes sense

As I often say, organising starts with sorting things into categories and grouping them in a way that makes sense to the person using them.

In this cabinet, I keep my printing supplies together: paper, labels, envelopes and laminating pouches.

Everything is close to where I use it, so I don’t have to search in three different places.

Then I sort the paper by type, colour and weight. Keeping everything in one place is a good start, but being able to find it easily is what makes the system useful.

Just a few sheets? A plastic folder and a label

When I only have five or ten sheets of a particular paper left, I put them in a plastic folder. This keeps them together and stops them from disappearing between larger stacks.

I add a label or a sticky note to the folder with the paper weight and any other details.

Yes, write everything down! Even the things you feel sure you won’t forget.

If you have five different types of white paper, you might not be able to tell them apart by touch tomorrow. A little “160 g/m²” written today can save you plenty of questions the next time you print.

My little helpers: stackable letter trays

For larger quantities, I use stackable letter trays from Rotho. Mine comfortably hold a whole ream of printer paper, and each paper type has its own place.

They are especially useful in this cabinet: the compartment is tall and spacious, but it has no middle shelf. Stacking the trays lets me use the height and take out the paper I need without lifting all the other piles.

Before choosing yours, check the cabinet’s internal measurements and the dimensions of the trays. Leave enough room to reach in and take out the sheets comfortably.

Clear or rainbow colours?

Here, I chose clear trays because the cabinet is already black and the folders add plenty of colour.

But you can choose different colours and assign them to your categories if that helps you find things. I love rainbow colours: organising can have a creative side too!

What matters is that the colours help you find what you need. And, of course, the trays need labels too, not just the folders.

A clearer workspace, one less thing to remember

For me, bringing more order into the home also means creating more space in the mind.

When I can immediately see where something is and where it belongs, I have one less decision to make. I don’t need to remember which pile holds the thicker paper or where I put the last few coloured sheets.

It is a small solution, but it makes this workspace more practical and pleasant to use. Most importantly, it makes the organisation easier to maintain.

I’m curious: which corner of your home office do you struggle to organise?

Send me an email with a photo, making sure no personal information or documents are readable. Tell me what you find difficult: perhaps I can suggest a solution for your space too.

One step at a time.

Margot