Tips for Organizing Your Files

Your filing system should work for you or anyone else who uses it. Otherwise, there’s no point having it. If it is so complicated that it doesn’t allow you to sort your papers and documents, it is not good enough. To test your filing system, see how fast you can put your hands on a random piece of paper.

If you keep every paper that passes your hand, one file will not do. Set up two files:  “to be filed” and “to be thrown.”  Note where you expect to file each page so you don’t have to read it again to file it. Those to be thrown can be placed in a series of folders, say, one for each month of the year. This will include things like offers, promotions, sales, etc., that will expire under a particular month. When the notices arrive for a particular month, sort them quickly, then to the bin!
  
For filing, Post-it pads are great. Before you toss a document, letter, or anything else into the “to-be-filed” drawer or folder, ask yourself first, especially when you are uncertain, note your answer on a Post-it pad and attach it to the top page.

Use staple instead of clips for keeping documents together. Clips take up too much space. They also catch on other papers causing to misfile.

If you use drawers keep the files together. Set up a series of alphabetical folders, each labeled with a single letter of the alphabet. After each alphabetical folder, place specific folders for categories that contain enough material to warrant individual files. When an alphabetical folder begins to overflow within a single category, provide it its own folder.  Here are some suggestions you may want to use: automobile, business contacts, bank, bills to pay, bills paid, correspondence, credit cards, career/resume, church, deeds/certificates, dental, education, finances, friends, gift ideas, insurance, legal documents, medical, mortgage/rent, receipts, repairs, taxes, telephone, utilities, warranties. You might also want to add categories for your work and hobbies.

Whenever you begin a new project, start a new folder. This can also include hiring a new contractor or acquiring a new customer. Put all memos, clips, correspondence, etc. into it. When the project is finished, maintain the file by keeping only those documents you’ll need.

Keep an inventory of your file drawers. In the front of each file drawer, make a list of what’s in the drawer. Photocopy the lists and keep them in one master including where the files are physically located, if applicable.

A filing cabinet can definitely provide a relief if you seem always buried under stacks of letters, statements and other papers. Don’t buy one until you have panned out the basics, that is, if you have room for it, where you are going to put it, how much filing capacity you need, and what you are going to file in it. Perhaps, how much you are willing to spend. Once you have decided on these basic considerations, you can choose the filing cabinet best suited to your needs. Plan and do your research first.