10 Tips on Color Coding Your Paper: From Chaos to Coherence

Color-There Is No Substitute

In anatomical illustrations you see the brain's visual system, where the optic nerve is actually 25 times faster than our audio nerves (hearing). No matter which processing style you depend on, 90 percent of the sensory perceptions received by your brain are visual. This is undoubtedly why color-coding works even for Auditory and Kinesthetic Learners.

In my workshops, even at 50 feet you can see there are three different manila files as I hold them up. It's the magic of color - that 1/8-inch wide 3-inch long strip of color on the labels is enough to do it. It's a clear demonstration of how much difference color-coding can make to whether you can tell one folder from another. And that makes a big difference in how quickly you can find something.

Only Color-Code What You Can See

What's the only part of a filing system that you can actually see? The top tabs on the hanging and interior files. That's why you don't need to use solid-color folders to color-code your drawer files, only for Action files which you keep on top of your desk. You can use the less expensive manila files for your Reference, History, and Archive material. This will save you at least half the money it would cost you to set up a solid color file system.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

That's why so many people try to keep everything on their desktop. Except, there just isn't enough room! You can greatly improve the "visibility" of your files by using one-third cut clear plastic up-tabs for hanging files to color code so as soon as you open the drawer, everything in it easy to see and use.

Do not make the mistake of ordering 1/5 cut tabs on your files or up-tabs. They are just too small. And the older I get-the smaller those labels get!

When you alternate warm color labels (red, orange, yellow) with contrasting cool color labels (blue, green, purple) in your file sections, it's even easier to distinguish each section instantly. Use large fonts or writing on your labels to reduce your visual fatigue and errors.

Upgrading Your Current system to Color

If you've already got a good filing system going, here's a great way to punch up visibility inside the file drawer. Take your one third cut colored file labels, rip off the paper insert that goes inside the plastic up tab, apply your label directly to the insert, and voila! You've got a color-coded filing system started. Naturally you want the interior file to have the same matching color file label.

The key to color-coding is consistency. Once you "substitute" (or stop using) color labels and matching files in your office, it's chaos all over. Because you've re-created disorder, you'll never be sure if it's really a "blue" project or not. Don't pick Parisian Lavender for file label color-coding. If you use them up and the label color isn't trendy this year - there goes your system.

Go for primary colors (red, blue, green, yellow) and black and white - they'll be printing those labels next year for sure. Keep one hanging file filled with blank manila files and some of each of your colored labels in the front of the file drawer closest to you at your desk. That way it's fast and easy to make up a new color-coded file.

Get Your Color-Coding Done for You with File Kits

After fifteen years of working everywhere from executive suites to home offices, I'm convinced that 75 percent of small to mid-size business and home filing systems are the same. It's that other 25% that individuates each business. Most filing systems are about the business of doing business - or having a life!

I searched for years before I found FileSolutions(R) File kits, which I think are the best on the market whether you are an employee or own your own business.

My corporate employee clients often like the Home file kits (even if they're organized at work) as it completely distinguishes all of their personal files. Because so many people work partly at home, it is important to the blend the systems for both business and home office, while keeping them separate. Each of these kits uses a different set of colors for its categories, so you won't confuse business with personal.

Every FileSolutions(R) file kit includes a complete file index book, all the color-coded pre-printed up-tab paper labels for hanging files. Plus, their matching pre-printed adhesive labels for the interior file folders you already have (or new ones). Ofcourse, there are blank labels in every color to finish customizing your files.

I use the Home and Small Business File kits myself and I recommend them to my micro-to-small business clients. These kits will save you time and using them is much easier than having your office manager (you?) generate a business-of-doing-business filing system.

If you have employees, the Business File system is so well documented that you won't lose time, money and productivity by having a "better" filing system created every time you change office staff.

You don't have to be a personal productivity expert...

These kits are so well put together, my housekeeper (with no office experience) set up the tabbed files and matching hanging files, so I had the "skeleton" of a brand new color coded file system. It's just as easy to convert your current non-color coded files because it's just putting the new preprinted color-coded labels on your existing files. You can also upgrade your current file system with the labeling tips you've already seen.

Another advantage to the kits: if you go to the store and buy the supplies needed to do these color-coded parts of a file system, it's going to cost you more than the file kit. Let's not even mention the all the time it takes to figure out categories and decide what colors they should be. Since I use the home kit along with the small business kit in my own office, I don't hesitate to guarantee them.

Go Forth and Color-Code

No need to reinvent the organizing wheel. There are many products that can help you, but be sure how you'll use it and where you'll put it. Otherwise you're just going to end up with a bunch of brightly colored organizers that you've piled more chaos on.

Now you know the techniques and tools you'll need to succeed with your color-coding office tune-up. Go Forth and Color Code!

Copyright, Eve Abbott All Rights Reserved.

Eve Abbott's newest book "How to Do Space Age Work with a Stone Age Brain TM" is available online at http://www.organize.com. Remember to sign up for more of the Organizer Extraordinaire's time-saving tips. Enjoy free brain quizzes to help you work at your personal best!

"How to Do Space Age Work with a Stone Age Brain TM" is an entertaining, interactive guide offering free, online assessments to help make your own personal organizing solutions match your individual work style.

---

Google News Updated : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:51:06 GMT McCain campaign's tone likened to George Wallace's - Newsday Malaysia Star McCain campaign's tone likened to George Wallace's Newsday - 2 hours ago WASHINGTON - Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat and veteran of the civil rights movement, says the negative tone of the Republican presidential campaign reminds him of the hateful atmosphere segregationist Gov. McCain in 'hatred' war of words BBC News Obama thanks, jabs at McCain Chicago Tribune New York Times - Los Angeles Times - Reuters - AFP all 404 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 09:27:11 GMT Many homers, and pitches, in Game 2 - MLB.com Los Angeles Times Many homers, and pitches, in Game 2 MLB.com - 2 hours ago By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com ST. PETERSBURG -- Five hours and 27 minutes elapsed during Saturday's American League Championship Series Game 2, bookending the moments when Scott Kazmir threw the game's first pitch over home plate and BJ Upton popped its ... Up, up, and away Boston Globe Mike Timlin shoulders blame Boston Herald Los Angeles Times - Washington Times - Tampa Tribune - ESPN all 495 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 09:22:57 GMT ARM Holders Would Do Well to Shop Around Now - Washington Post Sify ARM Holders Would Do Well to Shop Around Now Washington Post - 4 hours ago By Nancy Trejos The global financial crisis has affected virtually every aspect of personal finance, from mortgages to student loans to credit cards to retirement savings. Finance giants reportedly ordered to buy $40 bln of mortgage bonds ... MarketWatch Fannie, Freddie to Buy $40 Billion a Month of Troubled Assets Bloomberg The Miami Herald - Orlando Sentinel - Sunday Paper - San Jose Mercury News all 227 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 07:07:17 GMT Van driver's work in Mass. aided Nobel winners - Boston Globe Boston Globe Van driver's work in Mass. aided Nobel winners Boston Globe - 7 hours ago HUNTSVILLE, Ala.—When two American scientists won a Nobel Prize this week in chemistry, the driver of a car dealership's courtesy van had reason to take special interest. Video: Nobel Chemistry Prize Goes for Jellyfish Protein AssociatedPress The Daily Yomiuri - The Associated Press - Ars Technica - New York Times all 1,253 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 04:14:18 GMT American space tourist blasts off in Soyuz rocket - The Associated Press Washington Post American space tourist blasts off in Soyuz rocket The Associated Press - 39 minutes ago BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan (AP) - A Soyuz spacecraft with two Americans and a Russian on board lifted off from Kazakhstan on Sunday for the international space station. Space Toilet Fixed – For Now eFluxMedia Russia launches spacecraft with sixth space tourist China Daily KGAN - MarketWatch - Spaceflight Now - USA Today all 615 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:11:37 GMT Theatrical Review of Body of Lies - DVDTOWN.com Theatrical Review of Body of Lies DVDTOWN.com - 11 hours ago By Jason P. Vargo "Body of Lies" is a certain type of movie designed for a certain type of moviegoer. I think the tagline describes the movie perfectly, actually. Will 'Chihuahua' take a bite out of 'Body of Lies'? Los Angeles Times Body of Lies Entertainment Weekly E! Online - San Francisco Chronicle - Reuters - Washington Post all 1,041 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 00:19:39 GMT Japan says will tap FX reserve if IMF steps up bailout - Reuters Voice of America Japan says will tap FX reserve if IMF steps up bailout Reuters - 6 hours ago WASHINGTON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Japan said on Saturday it is ready to offer a part of its $1 trillion foreign reserves to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) if the multi-national lender is to support countries facing economic crisis. Video: IMF: Timing right for G7 ReutersVideo IMF Calls for Aggressive Response to Crisis New York Times Bloomberg - MarketWatch - Financial Times - Voice of America all 2,310 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 05:32:02 GMT Add RSS Feeds To My Web Pages Increased Website Traffic

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Home Organizing Tips & Gizmos

Staying organized can be a constant battle. The following organizing... Read More

Daily Systems Keep You Organized

Ever wonder how they do it? How a short-order cook... Read More

Get Organized -- Every Home Needs An Office

EVERY HOME NEEDS AN OFFICEYes, it is true that every... Read More

Can Someone Step Into Your Job Or Role And Function Effectively?

Working for one of the top Marketers online (David Ledoux)... Read More

Digging out of Paper Clutter - part 2

We previously noted that papers must be sorted before they... Read More

3-Step Clean Sweep Program to Organize

3-Step Clean Sweep Program 1 -... Read More

10 Simple Ways to Clear Clutter from Your Home and Office

There is nothing worse then spending ten minutes looking for... Read More

10 Easy Maintenance Tips vs Piling on the Chaos

Whether you are in your own business or an employee... Read More

Compartmentalize

The word "compartmentalize" means to separate into distinct parts. I... Read More

Tossing and Turning

"The real question is, why do you want it? What... Read More

Effective Closet Cleaning Tips - Let Go of More Than Skeletons

I know I have a problem when I have to... Read More

Memorabilia -- Use It or Lose It!

What do you do with those special items that have... Read More

Thinking Outside the Box

Much of my time as a Professional Organizer is spent... Read More

Feeling Overwhelmed and Unorganized? - How to Use Index Cards to Organize Your Life

Feeling Overwhelmed and Unorganized? - How to Use Index Cards... Read More

Clutter Is Natural

Nature loves clutter. Just think of all the stuff that... Read More

Clutters Side Effects: How the State of Your Home Affects Your Life

Each area of your home has a symbolic meaning with... Read More

10 Tips to Get Organized and Clutter-Free- Now!

1. THE LOVE IT OR LOSE IT PRINCIPLE: Every item... Read More

Clutter & Creativity

Take a look around you right now. Look away from... Read More

Overcoming E-mail Overload Using Microsoft Outlook

Do you feel like you just get too much e-mail?... Read More

What Balance Looks Like For You

Recently, in an online group, we talked about "balance" and... Read More

New Business? Changing Careers? Youve Got a Whole New Ball Game

When you embark on a life transition, the skills that... Read More

How to Prevent Piles of Paper!

If you have piles of paper all over your desk,... Read More

Create A Working Mail Center

I talk about the mail a lot in my newsletter,... Read More

Can You Really Improve Your Organisation Skills

I'm sure most of you have heard of Zig Ziglar... Read More

Ten Signs That Your Life Is Cluttered

How do you know if you need to clean out?... Read More