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I've worked as a Chief Financial Officer or Controller for the better part of 20 years, and we've been talking about going paperless pretty much the entire time.

For companies that hadn't mastered paperless before COVID hit, they had to learn pretty quickly.

But some of us were harder to convince.

There are plenty of Gen Xers and Baby Boomers who just love our paper. Calendars, journals, checklists, notebooks — you name it, and there's a paper version of it.

And I get it. I love paper too.

If you didn't grow up with a phone in your hand, paper can actually feel quicker. Grab a pen, write something down, and you're done. Going paperless means learning a new skill and changing habits you may have had for decades.

For me, though, I'm finally getting it.

I'm finally realizing that in a lot of situations, getting rid of the paper really is quicker, easier and more organized.

Part of the reason paperless feels easier now is that I've finally embraced tools that used to feel foreign to me — and those tools have gotten much better over the years.

Things like talk-to-text, Bluetooth keyboards and organized electronic filing systems have changed the game.

In fact, I'm writing this blog right now by talking to my phone.

It's transcribing amazingly well, so I have to ask myself: Why would I type everything? Why would I write everything out by hand?

Privacy was one reason I resisted talk-to-text. I'm a stickler for privacy and didn't particularly want people listening to me talk to my phone.

Now, if I'm writing something private, I make sure I'm somewhere private. If I'm out in public? Most people are busy doing their own thing and aren't listening to me anyway.

And if they are — well, who cares?

After years and years of paper filing, I discovered something surprising: all that experience made me pretty good at electronic filing.

I have folders and folders, and they make sense — at least to me in my world.

The difference is that now I can ask my phone or computer to help me find something.

Think about the old days. Put one piece of paper into the wrong folder in the wrong file cabinet and it might be lost forever — possibly while sitting three feet away from you.

With electronic files, I have more ways to find things.

Back in the super-early days — you know, the 1900s — I remember learning how important it was to name computer files something you would actually remember.

The technology has changed, but that advice is still good.

My electronic filing system isn't complicated. In fact, it works a lot like my old paper filing system.

Since I'm in accounting, let's say I need a bank statement.

First, I go to the folder for the year I need. Inside that, I find Bank Statements. Then I find the month. Inside that folder, the statements are named consistently — something like: PNC Bank – Operating Account.

And there it is.

That's basically the same process I would have used with a filing cabinet. The big difference? The filing cabinet took up valuable real estate in my office.

And if I pulled a paper file out, worked on it and forgot to put it back, it was no longer where it belonged.

With my electronic system, the original is still sitting safely in its folder.

This may actually be my favorite thing about going paperless.

As I've gotten older, I've found that piles of paper everywhere completely disrupt my flow.

I can't think straight. I can't find anything. I feel overwhelmed just looking at it all.

Walking away from my desk and seeing not a single piece of paper, Post-it note or unidentified thing sitting there helps clear my head.

And I know where my important information is.

That random Post-it note? By the time I go looking for it, it could be stuck to the bottom of my shoe.

Electronic files are also much easier to share, whether you work remotely or you're sitting in an office.

Someone says, "Can you send me that?" You don't have to start rifling through piles of paper.

Do I always immediately know where the electronic file is? Nope.

Sometimes I have to ask my computer to find it. And sometimes I can't remember what I called it.

But that's where my filing system saves me. I know the year. I know the type of document. I know the general folder structure. Eventually, I'm going to get there.

This was probably my biggest concern about going paperless.

Remember, I'm a person from the 1900s. I've lived through a lot of technological change.

What if the computer dies? What if the power goes out? What if something crashes? Is everything backed up?

Fortunately, backup systems are much easier and more automated today.

Personally, I'm still likely to keep an additional backup on a removable hard drive because apparently I need the extra reassurance.

I'm not saying everyone has to do that. But if it gives you peace of mind, it isn't difficult to create another backup of your most important files. I use this removable hard drive, but there are plenty of options at different price points.

Once I've scanned something, filed it where it belongs and made sure it's backed up, I don't need the paper hanging around anymore. But anything with personal or financial information shouldn't just go into the trash. A micro-cut paper shredder is a simple way to safely get rid of the paper you no longer need.

If you haven't tried going paperless yet, what are you waiting for?

You don't have to throw away every notebook in the house tomorrow.

Keep the paper journal you love. Keep your favorite notebook. Keep whatever makes you comfortable.

Going paperless doesn't have to mean never using paper again.

And some originals are worth keeping. For important documents that really do need a physical home, I like the idea of keeping them together in fire-resistant document storage so they're protected, organized and easy to find.

For me, it means putting the things I really need to find again into an organized electronic system where I know they'll be there when I need them.

1. Pick one category. Bank statements, bills, receipts — whatever seems easiest. Start saving those electronically instead of printing them.

2. Create a few simple folders. Don't overthink it. Start with the year, then create folders for the things you know you'll need to find again: Bank Statements, Taxes, Insurance, Medical, Household — whatever makes sense in your world.

3. Give your files names you'll recognize later. Don't leave something named "Document3478.pdf" and expect your future self to know what it is. Rename it something obvious.

4. Try one tool that feels uncomfortable. Use talk-to-text. Scan a receipt with your phone. Make an electronic list instead of grabbing a Post-it note. You don't have to love it. Just try it.

5. Make sure the important stuff is backed up. Whether you use cloud storage, an external hard drive or both, decide where your backup will live before you start trusting your new system.

And that's it.

You don't have to become a minimalist overnight. You just have to start.

If this post resonated with you, I put together a complete step-by-step guide specifically for people who love paper but are ready to make the switch.

The Paper Lover's Guide to Going Paperless walks you through exactly how to scan, name, and file your documents so you can actually find them later — plus what to do with the sentimental stuff you can't bring yourself to shred.

It's $3.99 and an instant PDF download. If you're serious about finally getting the paper under control, it's a good place to start.