Digging out of Paper Clutter - part 2

We previously noted that papers must be sorted before they can be properly filed. Continuing from our last article, your sort has left you with two piles - 'to file' and 'to throw away/recycle.' You've tossed the garbage/recycling, so now you have a stack of papers to file. Let's finish the sort, and create a basic filing system. Keep in mind three things:

A filing system has one main purpose: to allow you to find & retrieve your information quickly and accurately. Your files are a lot like a library. When you go into a library, you want to be able to go right to the shelf and find the book you want. Imagine if the library had no filing system, and put books on the shelves randomly. How long do you think it would take you to get frustrated and give up the search? My guess is that you'd probably never go back to the library.

Your files are the library of your life. You may not need your paperwork often, but when you do need it, you want to be able to find it fast. It's about predictability. Surprises are great on birthdays. With paperwork, you want predictability and speed. And finding papers fast means having them in the right place.

To create your filing system, follow these steps:

1. Broad Sort - Sort your papers into broad categories, such as 'Insurance,' 'Utilities,' 'Investments,' 'Hobbies' and 'Travel' (Your categories will depend on the type of papers you need to file.) Get a bunch of supermarket bags, and label each using your categories. Grab a handful of papers from the stack, and drop each paper in the appropriate bag. Again, don't look for dates, amounts or other details ? you're separating things into big categories, such as credit cards, banking, taxes, etc. As you go through the papers, remove any item that involves an action, and set it aside, in a separate bag labeled 'Action.' Action papers are easy to pick out. They require you to do something by a certain date, and include bills, parking tickets, RSVPs, and forms, applications, etc. that have a deadline. When you're done sorting, you'll have a bag of banking stuff, a bag of auto stuff, a bag of credit card stuff, etc. Keep in mind that categories will vary from person to person.

2. Specific Sort - Next, sort the contents of each bag into more specific categories. For example, 'Utilities' might be sorted into 'Water,' 'Gas,' 'Electric' and 'Cable. 'Banking' could be separated by account #, or by 'Savings,' 'Checking' and 'Car Loan.' (Don't bother with the 'Acton' pile. We'll get to that soon.) Again, your particular headings will depend on the types of papers that you have. But the principal is the same. Each of these subdivided piles will eventually get its own file folder.

3. File - Now that the sort is complete, it's time to set up a filing system. Let's keep it simple. Bills, statements, and similar records will be filed chronologically, with the most recent bill in front. For example, take your Visa statements and arrange them by statement date, from oldest to most current. Get an empty folder, label it Visa, and put the statements inside. Do the same for each utility, bank account, and other pile from step 2. Major purchases will each get a separate file. So, if you buy a new washing machine, create a washing machine file. Put your receipt, warranty, manual, and other info related to that washing machine inside. If the appliance requires repairs, put those receipts in the folder too. Non-dated items, such as instruction manuals and articles will also go into appropriately labeled files.

4. Action Files - Remember the papers from step 1, which require your action? Let's sort them into two piles, and assign each pile to its own file. The first group will include items, such as bills that must be handled this week. Some people like to call this a 'tickler file'. I suggest writing each task on a to-do list, as you put the paperwork in the file. Put all items that must be handled within a month, but not necessarily this week in the second pile. Put these items in a file labeled '30 Day Action'. The idea is to review your 30-Day file regularly, and transfer items into the tickler file, as you reach the one-week deadline date.

Marc Rifkin is a Professional Organizer, and owner of OASIS professional organizers, which provides home and office organizing solutions to clients in Greater Seattle. For more info please contact the author at info@oasisorganizers.com, or check his website, http://www.oasisorganizers.com.

©2005 OASIS professional organizers

May be reprinted with full author credit, bio, and all links intact only

---

Google News Updated : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:50:00 GMT Get moving: Guidelines set healthy activity levels - The Associated Press ABC News Get moving: Guidelines set healthy activity levels The Associated Press - 38 minutes ago WASHINGTON (AP) - Get moving: New exercise guidelines released Tuesday set a minimum sweat allotment for good health. For most adults, that's 2 1/2 hours a week. Government tells Americans to take stairs, go out and play Bizjournals.com Get 2 1/2 hours of exercise per week, US says Reuters USA Today - Food Consumer - MarketWatch - MyFox Dallas all 183 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:11:51 GMT Fitch says AMD factory move has no ratings impact - Forbes Canada.com Fitch says AMD factory move has no ratings impact Forbes - 51 minutes ago AP 10.07.08, 3:48 PM ET Fitch Ratings said Tuesday Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s ratings are not affected by the chip maker's plans to spin off factories into a new joint venture with investors in the Persian Gulf state of Abu Dhabi. What AMD's fab spinoff means for Intel, industry MarketWatch Who Benefits From AMD’s Financial Engineering? New York Times The Associated Press - BusinessWeek - Motley Fool - Bizjournals.com all 656 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:58:11 GMT Axelrod Says Obama Will Counterpunch if McCain Raises Ayres - New York Times Axelrod Says Obama Will Counterpunch if McCain Raises Ayres New York Times - 2 hours ago By Patrick Healy NASHVILLE - Senator Barack Obama is prepared to hit back, including with Keating Five scandal if necessary, if Senator John McCain uses tonight’s presidential debate to attack him over his associations with controversial figures like ... Video: AP Campaign Minute AssociatedPress Palin Adds Fannie Mae Execs to List of Objectionable Obama Associates Washington Post The Associated Press - U.S. News & World Report - FOXNews - Christian Science Monitor all 4,761 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:32:14 GMT Fed Announces Plan to Buy Short-Term Debt - New York Times Telegraph.co.uk Fed Announces Plan to Buy Short-Term Debt New York Times - 58 minutes ago By EDMUND L. ANDREWS and MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM WASHINGTON - The Federal Reserve announced a radical new plan on Tuesday to jump-start the engine of the financial system. Fed makes boldest move yet Christian Science Monitor Federal Reserve to buy up short-term commercial debt Los Angeles Times Bloomberg - NECN - The Associated Press - Wall Street Journal all 1,716 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:51:44 GMT Study: Using fan on sleeping baby reduces risk of SIDS - San Jose Mercury News dBTechno Study: Using fan on sleeping baby reduces risk of SIDS San Jose Mercury News - 8 hours ago By Linda Goldston Ayde Gonzales's mother was surprised when she insisted that her newborn son must sleep on his back, not on his side. Fan Use May Save Your Baby’s Life, Reduces SIDS Risk eFluxMedia Fan in Room Seems to Cut Infants’ Risk of Crib Death New York Times Bloomberg - Wall Street Journal - U.S. News & World Report - WebMD all 612 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:46:19 GMT Union-Backed Party Opposes Term Limits Plan - New York Times New York Daily News Union-Backed Party Opposes Term Limits Plan New York Times - 1 hour ago By Fernanda Santos The Working Families Party began on Tuesday the labor community’s first major offensive against Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s plan to change term limit laws through legislation that would extend to three, from two, the number of terms ... UPDATE 1-NYC lawmakers to weigh bill raising term limits Reuters Bill to end term limits introduced in City Council New York Daily News New York Times Blogs - WNYC - Campaigns & Elections - Crain's New York Business all 331 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:15:23 GMT Kenya deports anti-Obama author - Christian Science Monitor BBC News Kenya deports anti-Obama author Christian Science Monitor - 4 hours ago Jerome Corsi, author of "Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality," tried to launch his new book, but violated immigration rules, Kenyan officials say. Barack Obama's African grandmother Sarah Onyango Obama roots for him Times Online Anti-Barack Obama author detained while promoting his book in Kenya Los Angeles Times AFP - The Associated Press - New York Times - BBC News all 507 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:09:55 GMT Turn Affiliate Datafeed into RSS Amazon Associate Feed

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

Adsense websites

Organize Your Children & Save Your Sanity

It may be difficult to relate saving money with organization... Read More

Clutter Is Natural

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

The Problem With To-Do Lists

Do you use to-do lists? Do you find it satisfying... Read More

The Clutter Campaign - Design Your Vision

I like a room you can dance in the middle... Read More

Success at Work : Techniques : A Cluttered Desk

I followed my boss to a co-worker's cubicle where my... Read More

Clutter Campaign - Maintain Your Success

To want in one's heart to do a thing for... Read More

5 Tips to Banish Clutter From Your Life For Good

Studies show that 80 percent of what we use comes... Read More

Organizing - Time is of the Essence!

What does "time" have to do with getting organized? Everything!... Read More

Organize (and Decorate) Your Home on a Budget with Baskets

What's an item that can help you organize every room... Read More

Give Up Control to Get Control

For some reason, Americans think they have something to prove... Read More

Do You Have A To-Do list?

I have a huge white board in my home office,... Read More

A Simple Effective Tool To Get And Stay Organized

Often we are in overwhelm because we are holding too... Read More

How Can I Deal With It All?

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Have a to-do list a mile... Read More

Its Time To Clear Out! Clutter Busting For Every Aspect Of Your Life

'A well-ordered life is like climbing a tower; the view... Read More

The Balance of Balance

Life is about maintaining a balance of all aspects. At... Read More

Organization Tips - How To Get Things Done

What stops you from 'getting things done?'Have you ever started... Read More

Your Organizing DNA

Do you like storing your papers on top of your... Read More

Without a Plan, You?re Doomed to Failure

"My job is an endless series of deadlines, I am... Read More

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

Color-There Is No SubstituteIn anatomical illustrations you see the brain's... Read More

Organized Living-Secrets About Your Lifes Hidden Power Revealed

An organized living lifestyle can cause you to weed out... Read More

Kids Clutter: Organizing at Every Age

Our children are probably the biggest clutter creators we have... Read More

It?s Spring Cleaning Time? Let?s Make Room For Abundance!

I gathered some things you can do this spring while... Read More

Getting Organized For The New Year - Part 1

The following procedures will insure an organized and well run... Read More

10 Easy Tips for Digging Out Your Desk Today

Has your polished mahogany (or modular plastic) desk been buried... Read More

Can You Really Improve Your Organisation Skills

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