How to Alphabetize

Alphabetizing is a necessary skill in almost any office. The skill is taught to young children during elementary language arts classes but the skill gets little practice later in life. Once paperwork is alphabetized, items are much easier to find especially when they are tucked away in a filing cabinet. Correct alphabetizing is useful outside your office also. When items are not alphabetized, finding books at the bookstore or music at the record store becomes exceedingly difficult.

Instructions

1. Sort your paperwork by the first letter of the name your company uses for filing. Ask a supervisor for guidance on what information your company uses for filing. Make piles for each letter without worrying about items being in order in the piles.

2. Re-sort each of the letter piles, putting the papers in order by the second letter in the name listed. If there are multiple names with the same second letter, alphabetize those pages by the third letter in the name.

3. File each paper in its corresponding spot in your file cabinets. Your filing cabinets should have a label on the front with the first letter in the filing cabinet and the last three letters. For example, if the cabinet has files for Aaron through Amanda, the filing cabinet is labeled "A - Ama." Having the papers presorted will ensure that you do not have to go back and forth between cabinets while filing.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the same technique to alphabetize other items such as books and music.

• Names beginning with Mc can be filed separately from other names beginning with M.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish