5 Ways to Handle Filing

Paperwork. Did you know paperwork is one of the biggest struggles in organization? Why is that?

1. Volume!
Some of this is just a numbers game. When you get a giant wad of mail every day, a pile of graded homework every week, even the news delivered, well, it just becomes a matter of numbers. As in way too many numbers.

2. The Ick Factor
Let’s see; bills, filing, piles of meaningless junk mail….. Who even wants to face it all?

3. The lack of expertise
I’m sorry; I’m not a CPA, are you? Not having expertise in accounting can get us in trouble.

These are the systems I have had success with. See if some of these will work for you.

1. The 3-Ring Binder
I am a 3-Ring Junkie. This is how I use them for organizing paperwork.

a. Receipts
Take a binder and add a bunch of plastic sheet protectors. Type categories onto the top of sheets of paper. One category for each page and slip them into the sheet protectors. Filing receipts is not my idea of a good time. But I keep a pretty container on the bookshelf by my desk and I drop in receipts as I go. When I am in the mood (not often,) I grab the container and the binder, head to the living room to watch TV and file. It is actually pleasant. Try it!
Category examples include: Gift Shops, Gas, Post Office, etc.

b. Important paperwork
Copies of everything important, think birth certificates and the insurance on the house, are in a binder in file pockets (not plastic sleeves) for each category. It can even fit in the safe. Much easier to go through than a file system. And hey, if there is an emergency, pick up your binder and go!

c. Bills
I love my 3 ring bill binder. I keep a month at a glance calendar in there. Real easy. Pockets, expense sheets, you name it. And, of course, all the current bills.

d. Warrantees and Such
Owner’s manuals and warrantees are all in their own binder. In 5 minutes you can find the “how to” guide for the weed wacker.

2. The Sub-Category System
For the things that I file in a cabinet, I use a sub-category system. Each category has its own hanging file and the specific files go inside of it. “Volunteer Work” will have several different file folders in it based on the different projects I have going. At my work, I have several different categories, like “licensing,” “writing” and “website.” By creating category pockets, you take a lot of the searching out of filing. That makes it easier and more pleasant which leads to greater COMPLIANCE. Well, at least some of the time, right?

Try any one of these tools and see how much it can clean up your filing and organizing world.

What works for you, what do you struggle with in filing your life? Add a comment below!