Without question, I am of late showing clear signs of becoming a pack rat. Over the last year an accumulation of paper documents, manuals, magazine articles and general paper clutter that I can't stand to part with have accumulated on or near my desk that would fill about three large file cabinet drawers.

Actually...I hate clutter! So how can I deal with this growing problem that is about to cover my last remaining working space and soon impede my ability to get things done.

Today, while mowing the lawn I had what might be called a paperless vision that will forever free me from paper clutter and possibly change my life. I realized that the only thing standing between my three favorite piles of paper documents "that I can't part with" and total neatness ...is my computer scanner. Yes, I can scan those papers that I don't want to part with and store them on a CD. That way if and when I wish to see them again I can either look at them on the screen or print them out. I will never be forced to part with my articles, favorite documents, etc. and yet after scanning them onto a CD I can throw away the originals and live paperless. Oh yes, I realize that I will always have to save a few paper items such as camera instruction manuals, receipts, tax info and pamphlets that I can't throw. There will always be books on the shelf and they can be arranged neatly ....but I can reduce my towering paper piles from three or four file cabinet drawers to only those items that will easily fit in existing desk drawers ...with room to spare.

Closed desk drawers, tidy bookshelves, and filed CD's ...no piled papers. None.

I will become paperless; I will live paperless! Tonight I begin scanning. Yikes! Ok then, today is the beginning of my paperless, clutter-less life! I will never be messy again! Say that and believe it can happen.

Wasn't that my last New Year's resolution??