My ABSOLUTE FAVORITE organizational tool of all time

Anyone who knows me knows I am a bit compulsive about keeping things organized :). For years I have felt that I am drowning in paper. In addition to the files required by the IRS to be kept for 7 years (and some for eternity) plus all of the household papers you have to hold on to, I have more than 10 years of business files I am required to keep. There are boxes and boxes in my basement...and the piles keep growing. I can't take it anymore!

I have been haunted by those commercials for NeatDesk that show a small scanner that can scan all of your household papers...but reviews say that it is not all that compatible with Macintosh computers. So, I did some research and found this scanner for nearly $100 less and decided to order it. 

I am in love. 

It's call the ScanSnap S1300. It's small: closed it is only 3 x 4 x 11 inches. (The lowest price was on Amazon for $256.

It scans about 10–12 sheets at a time, each taking a matter of seconds. It saves the scans as pdfs, which you can name and file. It will scan b/w and color...high res and low...it will even scan two-sided documents and automatically rotate the pages so they are right-reading. (And it is not just for Mac.)

There is also an S1300i version which is faster and more expensive. I don't think you need the extra speed.

I have already scanned 7 years of business files in my spare time. When I am finished, I will burn several copies on CDs so I can keep one here and another in a remote location. This is certainly more reliable than keeping boxes of paper that could be destroyed in a flood or fire. 

The only drawback to this scanner is that it is addicting. I am obsessed with scanning everything I can. 

(Note: this picture is a little misleading. You can scan all different widths of paper, but you have to adjust the guides...you can't put them all through at the same time.)