Filing Cabinets
Filing cabinets come in a wide range of sizes. Use as much vertical space as possible by investing in a four-drawer vertical file cabinet. This takes up the least amount of actual floor space, yet can store the most papers. Your most time-sensitive and important papers can be kept directly on your desk using a desktop file holder. It's common for people to utilize an in box or to-do file directly on their desks. The trick, however, is to be disciplined enough to process those important papers promptly, so that they don't accumulate and become unmanageable.
Avoid cheap filing cabinets. Filing cabinets need to be durable enough to endure years of use and the weight of your paperwork. Cheap filing cabinets come apart over time or become difficult to open and close. Reduce the temptation to put off filing by purchasing filing cabinets that are a joy to use.
Use separate file cabinets for your personal and business files. Next, divide up your files and label them carefully. For example, in your personal filing cabinet, you may have folders or separate files for the following types of paperwork: auto-related, banking, bills, career, education, financial, health/medical, insurance, investments, legal, mortgage, taxes (keeping current and past information separate), travel, and warranties/receipts/instructions.
All of your files should be divided up, labeled, and kept organized. Files can be sorted and stored alphabetically, numerically, with some sort of color-coding, by date, geographically, by subject, or by using your own criteria. Keep your filing system straightforward, up-to-date, and intuitive for others. For example, if you're storing company files, store them alphabetically by company name (or the client's last name).
Keep current files readily available, and keep dormant/inactive files in airtight storage containers in an out-of-the way area, such as a basement or attic. Old files can also be scanned into a computer and stored on a computer's hard drive or in an electronic format, which will save you space and eliminate clutter. An inexpensive document scanner can dramatically simplify this task.
Set aside fifteen minutes a week to purge old files that you no longer need. In most cases, you don't need to save earlier drafts of proposals or projects. Check with your accountant to determine how frequently bills, cancelled checks, and tax records can be purged.
Dozens, perhaps hundreds of papers will cross your desk each day. For those papers that deserve your utmost attention, that can't be forgotten, or that you classify as having top priority, consider placing a special file on your desk or hanging a bulletin board near your desk upon which you can stick only the most important of papers.
