Going paperless sounds like it should be simple: take a photo of everything, delete the paper, done. Most people try exactly that, and most people end up with a camera roll full of unlabeled document photos that are no easier to search than the drawer they replaced.
Why the obvious approach doesn't actually work
A photo of a receipt is still, technically, just a picture — it doesn't know it's a receipt, it doesn't know what store it's from, and it won't show up when you search "washing machine" six months later unless you remembered to rename the file yourself at the time. Going paperless without that extra layer just changes where the clutter lives, not whether you can find anything in it.
What's safe to digitize and shred, and what isn't
Most everyday receipts, bills, and statements are genuinely fine to digitize and shred — a clear photo holds up for returns, budgeting, and most warranty claims. A few categories are worth a second thought before you get rid of the original: some manufacturers' warranty terms specifically require the original paper receipt rather than a copy, and certain contracts, deeds, or official certificates may need to stay physical depending on where you live — when in doubt, check the specific terms rather than assuming a photo is always equivalent.
The three things that actually make a digital system work
A capture habit that happens at the moment of purchase, not "eventually" — documents you mean to photograph later are the ones that end up in the trash before you get to it.
Searchable text, not just an image — a system that reads the document and extracts the store, date, and amount means you can search by what it is, not just scroll hoping to recognize it visually.
A link to the actual item, not a folder — "receipts/2026" tells you nothing six months later; knowing a specific receipt belongs to a specific product is what makes it useful when that product breaks.
What it looks like when this actually works
Fondly Home is built around that second and third point specifically: it reads each receipt automatically — store, product, price, date — and attaches it to that exact purchase, so "going paperless" means something you can actually search later, not just a pile of photos in a different format.