Decreasing
Paper Anxiety, Part 2
Lesson Three:
Taming the Dreaded “File Pile”
You know that there
are some papers that you are required to keep. You may
even have some of those papers but are unsure where they
are located. Let’s house these papers in a way that
make them easy to file and retrieve.
Filing Basics
that Make a Difference
Let’s talk about how to prepare the file
storage. Below are some
questions to ask. Don’t skip this important step.
Answering these questions can make a difference as to
whether or not you will maintain your home files.
• Do you prefer
all hanging folders, all manila folders, or manila inside
of hanging folders?
• Does color coding
enhance or impede your ability to locate files? If color
is helpful, which piece(s) would you like to color code
(hanging files, manila files, hanging tabs, manila labels,
etc.)?
•
Do you prefer the files to be set up with the tabs in
one position; for example, all to the left? Or do you
prefer your tabs to alternate; for example, left, middle,
right?
• Do you like the files to be labeled using
words or numbers?
• Do you prefer to handwrite labels, generate
them on a computer, or use a label maker?
• Do you tend to think
in categories?
• Will you need
a file index to help you locate the documents or will
the labels suffice?
• How many people
will be accessing these files? The more people retrieving
files, the more preferences need to be considered when
answering the above questions.
Since
many people like to consider papers according to categories,
let’s briefly consider some possible categories.
For instance, you might have a financial category
that would include records related to bank accounts, credit
cards, taxes, financial planning, utilities, etc. There
might also be a personal category that could house all
papers related to your home, vehicle, medical records,
insurance, education, employment, vital records, etc.
In addition, one category could be lifestyle. Papers
in this category could include hobbies, pets, travel,
decorating ideas, social activities, etc. You
could choose to name the categories differently or to
have more categories. In the end, it really doesn’t
matter what categories you choose or how you decide to
name your folders. What counts is what “name”
you will think of when you go to retrieve the piece of
paper.
Time to spend a
few minutes answering the questions before reading the
next section!
Take
the Paper Filing Plunge
We have the foundation; now it is time
to implement! First, block out about one hour of time.
Prior to that time, gather
folders, labeling tools, trash container, and papers accumulated
over the past week. That is correct: only
those from the past week. During the hour, sort the papers
into categories, create appropriate file folders, and
place the papers into the files. Please
do not forget that one of your categories can be “trash.”
If the paper doesn't provide crucial information
and if it can be replaced, throw it out! Only
about 20% of the paper that is filed is ever referenced
again; therefore, consider filing only the 20%.
You will notice
that I didn't say anything about papers that may already
be somewhat filed or completely piled. This is because
dealing with a backlog can be very overwhelming. Instead,
vow that from the date that you start and going forward,
that you will file papers as they come in. This is best
done by setting aside 10–15 minutes a week to file.
Guess what happens if you don't plan to file?
You will return to piles and to a state of overwhelm.
Additionally, you will be frustrated when you
can't find an important piece of paper. Plus
you will have wasted time that you could have used doing
something that you would have enjoyed. Maintenance won't
happen on its own. You must plan it into your schedule.
What about those
“old papers”? Set
a timer for 15 minutes once or twice a week to go through
some of the paper piles. An alternative
is to sort and file a stack when you find that you need
a paper from the pile. Don't
just dig down to find what you need; look at what you
pass along the way and put them away.
Keep
your papers manageable by implementing a “remove
and replace” policy where appropriate.
For example, when you receive your new health, home, or
car insurance policy, toss the previous one and replace
it with the new one. Unless you need to keep utility
bills for tax purposes, once you receive your new bill
reflecting that you paid your previous bill, you can toss
the one from the preceding month.
Vigilance is your
best friend when trying to keep your papers contained!
North
Carolina’s
first
Certified
Professional
Organizer
in
Chronic
Disorganization,
Janice
Russell,
and
her
firm,
Minding
Your
Matters®
Organizing,
have
built
a
reputation
for
helping
business
and
residential
clients
organize
their
space,
items,
documents,
and
time
using
the
flexible
structure
principle™.
Janice’s
workshops
on
topics
such
as
tackling
the
“no
time”
trap,
perishing
paper
piles,
and
stopping
“stuff”
from
being
overwhelming
are
dynamic,
informative,
and
practical.
Minding
Your
Matters®
is
dedicated
to
helping
people
achieve
organization
with
lasting
results™
in
their
personal
and
professional
lives.
Janice
is
highly
regarded
within
her
industry.
She
is
Education
Chair
for
the
National
Association
of
Professional
Organizers
(NAPO)
and
past
president
of
the
North
Carolina
Chapter
of
NAPO.
Janice
is
the
author
of
Get
Organized
This
Year!
For
more
information,
please
visit
www.mindingyourmatters.com
or
call
919-467-7058.
