I don't know if you have noticed the trend of the last few years, but less and less things come with instruction manuals. And if they do include some kind of instruction, most often it is just a link to an online manual or company website. Environmental conservation and corporate cost-cutting measures have helped forge this new path, but what does it mean for also reducing paper clutter in our lives?

While companies might be helping set the trend for less paper clutter in our homes and offices now and in the future, they can’t do much about the stock-piles of manuals we already own. For those, I think digital solutions are plentiful, and for that, I strongly suggest that you be willing to part with your manuals. Just be sure that you keep any warranty information. As well as any identifying model or serial numbers that you can’t locate on the device itself.

For anyone who thinks this sounds like a drastic clutter-busting task, I suggest the five following re-assurances to help put your mind at ease and reach for your recycle bin.