Toilet paper comment

Just came across a comment by Sheryl Crow about reducing toilet paper usage. I just want to point out that this is not on my agenda -- environmental concerns from paper usage (while important to some) is not necessarily high on my own priorities as I stated at the beginning.

Desktop search tool

One of the reasons many of my colleagues and friends seem reluctant to store information electronically instead of paper copies is because they claim to have difficulty locating information on their computers. I find this somewhat difficult to understand because they would have the same difficulty with paper copies, except that some of them have developed elaborate paper archival schemes over the years that they haven't yet transferred over to their electronic habits.

In my view an easy way to deal with this is through a desktop search tool such as that from X1 so that people don't have to worry about where they store information. No more having to manually place emails or documents into separate folders (although that wouldn't hurt if you already have an established procedure). The desktop search tool, in my view, is such a bug productivity booster that I am quite surprised that many corporations have not yet made this mandatory. Perhaps they fear that corporate information might become a bit too easily available? I don't know for sure. X1 has certainly made it easier to me to reduce my dependence on paper without having to worry about searching for information I know is somewhere on my computer.

Junk mail...

Just went through two weeks of mail to figure out that I am still getting paper statements from accounts that I thought were completely electronic. This included a bank account (which I fixed) and electricity bills, which I don't seem to be able to turn off! I am also going to get my employer to move to electronic delivery of paystubs!

Taxes

Taxes for this year have been quite a pain because I had to file returns in 3 states in addition to the federal return. Of these, for some reason, my returns for Massachusetts couldn't be e-filed and so I had to print out several pages. What a waste! I can't understand a single reason why paper filing should be forced upon us when we are submitting exactly the same information electronically.

My next project will be to scan as many records/documents as possible. I will probably start on that the coming weekend.

Financial and utility statements and magazines

I have almost completely switched to paperless statements for all my financial and utility bills. This includes my checking account, credit cards, brokerage, 401k, electricity, internet service, VOIP phone, and fax. I have also switched to the online version of WSJ and activated online service to the Economist.

To do:

1. Need to turn on paperless statements for my cell phone service.
2. Evaluate online options for various magazines: Time and Business Week.
3. Automate online payments/checks for remaining services: Day care lunch payments and college tuition.
   

The Beginning of my paperless life

Over the past several months I have been trying to become as paperless as possible. I have been successful in many ways, but have also struggled in certain others. So I figured I would start documenting my experiences (where else, but online) so that others may benefit from it as well.

Main objectives (in decreasing order of priority):

1. Improved efficiency (Time saved by not having to search for old documents is just one example)
2. Reduced clutter (Imagine all the mail that piles up in your mailbox daily!)
3. Improved environment (less paper!)

Main tools currently being used:

Hardware:

1. IBM T42P laptop, with appropriate internet access
   
2. Unknown brand shredder (8 pages max)
3. HP 2400 scanner
4. 80 GB Firelite backup
   

Software/Online services:

1. Acrobat professional
2. Microsoft Money
3. TurboTax
4. MS Office