The whole point of filing is to find paperwork fast! If your filing system is chaotic, you’re making yourself work harder. I don’t want that for you! Dial down the difficulty when searching for paperwork by using these tips.
Naming Conventions
Having standardized terminology for your files keeps search time to a minimum, with both digital and physical files. For physical files, use consistent dates and names. You want to make it easy on your eyes to follow along as you look through the files. If you’re looking through the files you have on home maintenance, and most of your files are labeled like “2020 Repair Bills,” and a few are named like, “Housekeeping – 2020,” you’re making your brain do extra work when you search. Keep it consistent, and save your brainpower for something more fun!
To make searching for digital files easier, include multiple search terms in the file name. Think about what you’ll want to know when you’re trying to find it. If you’re looking for a particular bank statement, what search terms would you use to find it? Adding the bank name, the account name, and the statement date means you can find it three different ways!
Paper Files: 5-20 Items Rule of Thumb
Use cascading hierarchies when creating your paper files. For instance, you could keep all your insurance paperwork together in one hanging folder, and have paperwork for the individual policies in separate interior folders. This means you only have one place to go to look for anything regarding insurance, and if you know which policy you’re looking for you can narrow it down even further. Instead of flipping through dozens of different pieces of paper, you can go right to what you’re looking for.
It’s hard to find paperwork fast when your files are three inches thick. The best rule of thumb I have for keeping hierarchies neat and easy to use is this: If you have fewer than five items in one category, that’s a sign that you could condense it with another. More than twenty items should be split up into subcategories.
For instance, say you have files relating to places you want to travel to. If you only want to go to New Zealand and visit Lord of the Rings locations, you only need one folder. If you want to go to every state in the US and have paperwork about each state you want to visit, then a folder for each state will be helpful. This helps avoid overstuffed folders that are difficult to look through and avoids having unnecessary folders as well.
Make it even easier on yourself by using labeling, color coding, or different locations for these categories. If you use your labels or colors consistently, soon you’ll be able to see what you’re looking for at a glance.
Action items are a type of paperwork that needs attention, like reminders of appointments, or a bill that’s coming due.
One common mistake people make when organizing their paperwork is keeping action items out to help them remember. Put away the paper and keep the reminder. Keeping an action item on your desk leads to clutter. Have a specific place for action items, so you know where to look for them when it is time to take that action.
Have a reminder system in place. You can set a reminder on your phone, write it in a paper planner, or use one of the action item systems below, and put the paper away.
Use the 2-minute rule – if it will take less than 2 minutes to do it, do it now. It’s not worth your time to file it. Set the reminder, and find it again – just do it!
I have four suggested methods for prioritizing paperwork in increasing complexity: an in/out tray, a 3-level priority system, Steven Covey’s quadrant method, and tickler files. Use the one that suits you best and is going to be the easiest for you to maintain. Remember the point is not to organize the paperwork, the point is to take action on your paperwork.
In/Out Tray
In/Out Tray: An in/out tray is a very simple way to keep track of action items. When you have a task to complete or a reminder of something due, it goes in the In tray. Once completed, move it to the Out tray. You can always look in your In tray to remind you of what you need to accomplish.
3-Level Priority System
3-Level Priority System: There are many ways to do a 3-level priority system, according to what works for you. Create three folders and label them based on level of importance or urgency. Hot/Warm/Cold, Do Now/Do Soon/Do Someday, Today/This Week/Next Week, and Red/Yellow/Blue are just a few ways to label these folders.
This kind of system breaks down action items into easy-to-understand categories. That way, you can see at a glance what needs your attention.
Tickler Files
Tickler Files: Tickler files – file folders labeled with dates – are a great way to keep action item paperwork accessible and organized. Here are two ways to use them:
8 Folders By Week: This system consists of one folder for each day of the week and one folder for the next week or later. As you go through the week, complete items in the appropriate folder. Once a week, review the items in the “next week” folder, then decide when to do them in the coming week.
43 Folders By Month: This is a more detailed system consisting of 31 folders (one for each day of the month) plus 12 folders (one for each upcoming month). At the beginning of the month, review all items in the monthly folder and sort them depending on which day you want to do them. Complete items in daily folders daily to keep on top of your action items.
The Quadrant Method
Stephen Covey’s Quadrant Method: Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, had a simple way of categorizing tasks based on urgency and importance, and this works with paperwork too. The infographic below shows how to use this system.
Using these strategies, you can organize your action items and work more effectively! Which of these do you think you’ll try when you’re prioritizing action items?
Why organize your paperwork? Organizing your paperwork clears piles of paper cluttering your space, helps you find information efficiently, keeps you on top of bills and to-dos, and avoids late fees, missed deadlines, and wasting time. Organize your paperwork to reduce stress, have a clear mind, and focus on what matters.
The first step toward fully organized paperwork is to sort. When I am clearing someone’s desk, we use use RAFTS to sort paperwork. What does RAFTS stand for?
Recycle
Recycle any paperwork you no longer need that doesn’t contain sensitive information. This includes things like advertisements, takeout menus, old Post-it notes, or junk mail.
Don’t forget that you can also repurpose paper! Anything with a blank back can be used as scratch paper for quick notes! If your home has kids, they can color on unwanted paper, too. You could even use it to make paper mache art! Why not?
Action
Action items are anything that needs your attention, like a bill to pay or a letter to reply to, or phone calls to return. I will address action items in more detail in my next post!
File
File paperwork that contains things you will need later. Statements, school records, and policy documents fit into this category. For more about how to file paperwork, check out this post!
Trash/Treasure
Trash/Treasure: Go through your paperwork and decide what’s worth keeping, and what’s worth letting go. Any paperwork with grease or other food on it can go. Treasure could be anything from special holiday cards to important documents that must be kept. If you’re holding on to something you can’t remember receiving, consider recycling or trashing it to minimize clutter.
Shred
Shred anything with account numbers, social security numbers, or other non-public information that you no longer need. You don’t have to shred items with your name and address because that’s public information.
Any questions about how to use RAFTS to sort paperwork? Ask them in the comments!
I have seen many, many storage spaces stuffed full of holiday decorations that are only used once a year. That’s not to say you shouldn’t have decorations—decorating is one of the best parts of the holidays! But there are ways to decorate that don’t take up your whole garage when you’re done.
Use organizers
The boxes that tree ornaments come in are usually flimsy and difficult to repack neatly. Recycle them and use a tote to keep all your ornaments in one safe place. Ornament keeper storage totes are a good way to keep fragile ornaments safe when they’re in storage, and consolidate space. This one offers three removable tiers of ornament storage
Tree storage bags are great for artificial trees. Specifically designed to hold each part of your tree tightly, they reduce storage space and keep your tree free of dust and damage, so you can use it year after year.
Repack carefully
One of the best ways to reduce holiday purchases is to take care of the items you already have. Storing things properly ensures you don’t have to re-purchase broken decorations, and can use them for years.
When it’s time to take down the decorations, pack your items with care. By “with care” I mean in such a way that they won’t break, and also with an eye on ways to save space. Packing all the wrapping paper in one place ensures you don’t have to go hunt for it next year.
The holidays are a time for friends and family to get together and celebrate with annual traditions. How do you get the most out of your family traditions? I have a few tips here to help make holiday traditions more fun and more meaningful.
Family traditions are FUN
The more somber traditions we take part in this time of year are certainly important. But it’s also important to have some fun with your family!
Family traditions are a great way to enjoy the holidays and bring your family closer together, and they’re as unique as you are. Some families celebrate The Christmas Pickle, hiding a pickle-shaped ornament in the Christmas tree. The child who finds the Christmas Pickle first gets an extra present. Some families break the turkey’s wishbone after dinner for good luck. You can use traditions that already exist like these, or come up with your own.
Sometimes traditions evolve over time by themselves. Different families celebrating the same holiday will always do something a little different. If your family celebrates Hannukah, do you include gifts or not? Even the time you eat a holiday meal can be a tradition that develops over time.
