Going fully paperless overnight is unrealistic for most households — a steady, incremental approach with a phone scanner tends to actually stick where an all-at-once effort usually doesn't.
Start with incoming mail, not the backlog
Scanning new documents as they arrive — before they ever join the pile — stops the problem from growing, and is a far easier habit to build than tackling years of accumulated paper first.
Tackle the backlog gradually
Once the incoming-document habit is solid, chip away at existing paper in small batches rather than treating it as one big project — a sustainable pace beats a one-time weekend push that burns out.
Decide a simple keep-or-shred rule
Having a clear default (e.g., "scan and shred unless it's an original vital record") removes the decision fatigue that causes paper to pile back up even after an initial cleanup.
What documents should never be shredded after scanning?
Originals like birth certificates, marriage certificates, property deeds, and certain legal or notarized documents are generally worth keeping physically regardless of having a digital scan — check what specifically applies in your situation.