Wouldn't it be nice to know exactly where to put the kids' class rosters or that letter confirming your tax-deductible donation? Even better, wouldn't it be nice to be able to quickly and easily find that piece of paper again when you need it? Many people have confided to me that they have a better chance of finding a particular paper in one of the piles strewn about the room than in their file cabinets. A well-designed filing system is vital to managing paper in the home or at work. Click here to learn about the easy to use, color-coded filing systems I create for many of my clients.

 

Here are some tips for maintaining your system once it's established:

1. Don't Keep What You Don't Need

Be very selective about what kind of information you keep. For guidelines, call me at (804) 330-0997 or email me to order my booklet, "How Long Should I Keep These Papers?". You might also enjoy, "Paper Management Tips", which talks about how to handle and store incoming mail, newspapers, kids' school papers, children's artwork, receipts, and coupons, among other things.

 

2. Good Filing Habits

Hanging files alone generally work better in a filing system than hanging files with interior folders in them. When filing papers, take them out of their envelopes and unfold them to save space. Staple related papers together, and put new papers in the front of the file to maintain chronological order. Take papers out of large envelopes if they're blocking your view of other file labels behind them. If the papers in a file are sticking up too high and blocking your view of other file labels, you probably need a "box-bottom" file that has more capacity than a standard file. When you pull a file out of the cabinet, be sure you don't put it back inside another folder.

 

3. Maintenance

Like any organizing system, your filing system will need regular maintenance. Get out your calendar and make appointments with yourself every six months or so to purge your files and add any additional files you might need. Or, call me at (804) 330-0997 to schedule regular visits for maintenance and revisions.