How to Organize your Filing Cabinet
Organizing your documents can feel overwhelming if you have let the stacks of paper pile up in your home or office. File folders and cabinets cannot help you if you do not use them. You can bring organization to your filing cabinet with some tricks that will increase your productivity -- because you won't have to waste time searching through piles for that most recent bank statement -- and keep your work space more orderly.
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Instructions
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Label all of your file folders. Either print labels on your computer or hand-write them in large bold print.
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Alphabetize your folders, both by category and subcategory if you have more than one folder for each category. For example, the category "Medical" may have a folder for each member of your family.
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Color-code files to differentiate between working files -- those you use everyday -- and old files -- such as those that contain tax records from previous years or for closed accounts. As you go through your filing cabinet, you'll be able to easily spot the files you use most often.
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Sort through unfiled paperwork piles and stacks of unopened or unsorted mail in front of your filing cabinet. Place documents in the appropriate folder while you sort them. This prevents you from creating more piles on your desk or kitchen counter and then wasting time having to file them.
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Create a paperwork filing box. If you have papers or documents that you use more than once during a day, place them in a box that you keep handy on your desk. Take a few minutes at the end of each day to file this paperwork -- empty the box daily. Immediately throw out any junk mail or unnecessary papers.
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Go through your files periodically to throw away or shred outdated documents. If a folder is getting too large or disheveled, make sure you're not keeping too much unnecessary paperwork; neaten it up and return it to the filing cabinet.
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References
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