How to Organize Paper Files

Many people are drowning in the stacks of paper that seems to be taking over their lives. This paper comes from everywhere: the mail, work papers, school papers, tax forms and even the children's artwork. We know we have to organize these papers somehow, but the task may seem to be overwhelming. A few guidelines can help anyone apply their paper "situation" into a more organized system of paper files, where they can actually find something when they need it.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Face the problem. Gather each and every stack of paper, note pads with phone numbers, bank statements, tax forms and school papers. Set up large paper grocery bags or shopping bags and label each to start your sorting. Labeling should apply to your paper situation. Look at each piece of paper and make a decision--need to keep, dealt with or throw away. If it is trash, throw it away, but shred it if it has personal information on it. Stay focused and assign each piece paper a place in a labeled bag.

2. Buy a file cabinet and file folders. File cabinet size will depend upon the amount of paper files you will be ending up with and if you are planning to expand your filing system in the future. Try to purchase a file cabinet that is fire resistant. Colored file folders work best for organizing.

3. Take each bag with papers sorted for that label and further sort. If your label was household bills and information, you would set up a file folder for each area of your home. There would be a file for house payments, electric bills and insurance. In addition, set up files for home related topics such as appliance warranties, receipts for purchases, maintenance records and continue in that manner. Sort each grocery bag in this manner until all the bags have been sorted and file folders have been set up for all papers.

4. Sort income tax papers by year. The goal will be that as soon as a year's income tax returns are completed, all the copies of the return and associated papers can be put into one large clasp envelope and the year of the return is clearly labeled on the outside. Store these towards the back of your file cabinet as these will not be used on a daily or even monthly basis. However, keep an envelope in your daily filing area to keep receipts and information that will be needed to do the current year's taxes when the time comes. You'll be organized and ready on tax day.

5. Consider all aspects of your life. If your job is a teacher, keep all your teaching records, class handouts and study information organized in appropriate labeled files, but separate from your home paper files and records. The colored files can really help in being able to put your hands quickly on the file you need. Class handouts can all go in yellow files, while class plans go in blue files. Work and home must be separated, so that all areas can be organized into the appropriate paper files for easy access. Colored files can also be used to sort jobs. For example, all home-related files are green, teaching files are red and the spouse's sales files are blue. It helps if you have several filing situations in one area to assign basic colors for each.

6. Keep your paper files and records updated. Once you have organized all these papers, it will be easier to manage. After you do your taxes for the year, it is safe to shred copies of utility bills and credit card statements as these are just taking up room in your files.

7. Place all important legal papers and documents, such as wills, birth certificates, passports, shot records, stock certifications and any other document of extreme importance to your family into properly labeled files. These files should be stored in a fireproof file cabinet, safe or safety deposit box.

Tips & Warnings

• Taking the time to organize your paper files will really make your life easier.