Organizing Paper Files

Due to its constant inflow, the overwhelming rate at which piles build up and therefore the seemingly insurmountable task of keeping up, paper is a primary source of clutter.

How great would it be to locate a specific piece of paper in 2 minutes or less?





Would you like to spend less time and effort searching for documents and therefore be more productive?

How about reducing stress levels because you have a system and pay your bills on time?

Paper organization is important for so many reasons. The following tips on organizing paper files will help you prevail over the piles!

Utilize the general organizing procedure of purge, sort and store, and apply it when organizing paper files.


Purge:

**IT IS VERY IMPORTANT to pace yourself during this process. DO NOT look at your paper clutter in its entirety. Go through it by sectioning off one pile at a time, and commit to doing a little every day.**

• In order to make decisions for non-personal information (i.e. ripped out magazine articles), ask yourself appropriate questions (Is this information outdated? Can I access this on the internet?).

• In order to make decisions for personal information (i.e. financial documents), refer to Real Simple's Record Keeping Guide and/or Consumer Report's Record Keeping Guide.

• As you make decisions, put the discards in their corresponding pile/bag/box - Recycle (discards without personal information), Shred (discards with personal information), Trash (non-recyclable discards).

• As you make decisions, separate the papers you are keeping into general categories (i.e. Financial, Medical, Memorabilia).

• After each purging session you complete, take out the discards and store the papers you are keeping in file boxes or file folders in order to maintain the categories you set up.


Sort:

• When you have pared down as much as possible, sort what's left into specific categories using file folders.

• For instance, let's sort the file box you created during the purge process of all your important medical documents. Do this by classifying them into specific medical categories such as designating one folder per family member.

• It is important that the categories make sense to you, so that relocation is possible and even timely.


Store:

• Now that your paper files are organized into folders, utilize a file cabinet or cart to store them. See below for some great paper storage solutions!

• For tips on where to store which files, refer to Consumer Report's Record Keeping Guide.


Maintain:

• IT IS IMPERATIVE TO STAY ON TOP OF THE PAPER CLUTTER EVERY DAY. Take 10 minutes at the end of each day to file papers in their proper places.

• It is also a good idea to have an "Action" or "To Do" tray on your desk to house the items that require action. This is a great way to keep these important papers in your line of sight without creating a pile. **Go through this tray at the end of the day as well to ensure you stay on top of your responsibilities.**


The Products

There are tons of storage solutions for organizing paper files. The below products are a great place to start.

Platinum elfa Mesh File Cart
Sturdy, mobile and convenient! This file cart is great for holding your active or current files. It also has two drawers which are great for storing supplies.

Erasable File Folder Labels - a Favorite for Organizing Paper Files!
You reuse file folders, so why not be able to do the same with the labels?! This product features a permanent marker applied to an erasable label. That's right, an erasable label!!

Rolodex Stacking Letter Tray
Stackable, stylish and and smooth - this paper storage solution fits nicely on a desk and matches any decor. It is fantastic for holding all of those papers on your desk requiring action.

Lifestyle File Tote

Keep your files organized on the go! This tote is constructed well, has a modern design and convenient pockets for accessories.