We are going to discuss most common problem nowadays about paperwork organization, there are hardly 7 steps to organize your papers like a pro. Which involves Gathering all the scattered papers, separating them according to their type, straining out the extra and unnecessary papers for the dustbin, gathering organization supplies.
Some people like to go paper free organization or to go digital, but often organizing papers is a bit complicated. Start with binding them together like one type in each and maintaining them further is one of the important steps to organize your papers like a pro.
Organize Home Files
Separate By Type
First of all, you need to organize all type of files and organize them in one binding of each type. Separate the clutter, unnecessary files, incomplete papers, unwanted bills in a separate bin. Divide all papers into following categories. Home files like tax files, medical bills and records of each family member, school reports, receipts need care, attention, organization and maintenance are different steps to organize your papers like a pro.
Organize Tax Files By Year
Most important and necessary files which you would need every other week to process and proceed like tax files, put them in a separate bin. Organize them according to year or name of property holder, if there are multiple members in the family. Make sure to Label them according to date and year.
Medical Reports and Bills
They need to be organized in a separate cabinet or plastic bin to access easily when needed. If there are multiple family members, separate the cabinet or bin with shelves or separators and label them with name.
School Reports & Receipts
If there are multiple school going kids, allot them a cabinet according to file volume and separate it with shelves. Each kid should have a labelled space to store and organize school reports. Expense bills or receipts need to be organized in a different, labelled cabinet or bin for an easy access and maintenance.
Exact Placement to Organize Your Papers
Why Assigning A Place Is Necessary?
Exact placement of each type of paper in a cosy place makes it more organized and managed. One of the 7 steps to organize your papers like a pro is to place each paper in it’s assigned placement. If a tax paper will get mixed up in expense bills it will not only create a chaos at the time of need but it will also affect other organized categories of papers.
Where Papers Should Be Stored?
Organizing your papers like a pro involve a place which is specially allocated for paper arrangement in your home. It may be a cabinet, shelf or a plastic bin, but it should be only allocated for papers. This will save your time and extra space and also will help you to get an organized storage.
Home Office
Home office, Desk files, or a File drawer is the best place. A home office will allow you to organize your office files, taxes, medical bills and school reports at the same place. Desk organizers or file drawers will help you to separate files according to their specific type.
Storage Boxes
Plastic storage boxes could be very effective for this type of storage. Your school reports, results, memorandums and extra curricular activity file can easily be stored here. You can label them for each kid separately. These plastic storage boxes take small space and provide full organization. It is easy to maintain and clean plastic storage boxes.
File Organizers
Also, you can use specific file organizers, decorative organizers for desks and office. These file organizers not only can organize your files as well as they can be displayed on desk to increase decoration theme of desk. You can use fancy baskets and bins to organize files too! Remember, an easy access is always best access.
Strain Out Clutter!
Apply Filters
One of the 7 steps to organize your papers like a pro involve straining out every paper. Remember, You don’t need to store every paper forever. So, whenever you are organize your paper always strain them out to get rid rid of extras. There is always something to throw in bin. Whether it is expired, not needed any more or it is just a paper now. You have to filter them and Strain out the clutter and dispose them off well.
Dispose Off Securely
Always check for a safe place to dispose off, if your papers have some personal or sensitive information you have to dispose it accordingly. For example, Your address, tax ID, you national ID should not be open to anyone. You should dispose them off accordingly. Try removing that part from paper by cutting it into very small pieces or scratch off that part from paper.
Take Care Of The Environment
Also, your medical reports that are not needed anymore have some sensitive information about you. You should dispose it off in an electric trash can which shreds paper into small pieces. Or you should dispose them off away from human contact. Do not dispose any kind of paper in water resources, as it will harm water life and will pollute water for human kind. Remember to save environment.
Gather All the Necessary Papers
In many households, we see that papers are scattered in every corner. Before you organize your papers, divide them in types and files and bind them, you have to collect all of the papers from your house. Collect all of your medical bills, receipts and school reports around the house. Organize them in their specific file and store them by their date.
Get Rid Of Mess From Corners
If you ignore all the scattered papers you will feel a mess around every corner. Also, you will feel a tension whenever you need to find a specific paper. You would check all the files and as a result those files would also be disorganized. Also, try to label every file by name, type, date, year or specific name memo to avoid a mess.
Collect Organizing Supplies
Clip Folders
These clips are required to bind your papers together firmly. So, whenever you open a storage you don’t face a scattered system. Buy clip folders or binders to bind your papers together. Now, when you have all the papers you need to organize. Divided in categories and gathered now you need to collect filing supplies for better storage.
Suspension Files
Suspended or hanging files in colour differentiation are a good choice. I personally recommend using them to differentiate between different type of files. Like green colour for finance, Red colour for school reports or however you want to label them. This makes very easy for record and management.
Box Files & Record Keeper
For a large storage like in offices, you need a box storage to organize your files. These boxes are large and huge in size which makes an ease to access. Old times were register recorded eras. where a person will write and keep a record of every single file placement. But now a days You can use digital record keepers for your files.
Filing Cabinets & Shelves
These cabinets are specially designed to organize your papers. These are thin in structure which leads to space storage. These shelves are required to separate different type of files. You will need them to store different year system in one cabinet. Drawer dividers can be used to organize small receipts and memos in one place.
Separators & Label Maker
If you don’t like to use filing shelves, use separators in a simple cabinet to separate different files from each other. This will make easy for you to access required documentation. When you are going to organize filing system on a large scale, I recommend you to use a label maker for labelling every file. This will cost you around $30.
Labelling
Easy Access
For an easy access it is very necessary to sort and label your papers. For office paper organizations I recommend you to buy a label maker. This will create an ease for you to label every file on the spot. Also, label the most visible part of the file, so that you can easily access the file when needed. First of All, Sort your papers with type and name like following.
Label By Name & Type
Medical- Anna, Medical- Andrew, Taxation- Anna, Finance- Andrew, School- Anna, School- Andrew, Insurance- Anna, Insurance- Andrew, Bills- 2014, Bills-2016. Above are some examples for you to label your file by name of owner and file type.
Label By Name, Year, Type
Medical-Anna-2014, Taxations-Anna-2014-15, School- Andrew- 2016 are some examples when you need to organize and label files by owner’s name and year of record with file type. Just make very sure You label the most visible part of the file.
Call to Action Papers
Choose The Most Visible Place
Most papers which need an action right at instant, like forms to fill, bills to pay now or fees to pay need front space. You must select a visible and on the go place for these papers. Use hanging file organizers, hooks, and filing racks to organize them and get them on the go when you need them.
Labeling CTA Papers
Bills that need to pay with their due date, label file with due date and type. The forms or contacts that need to be filled with their due time, are To fill papers. Label Them as it is. Any tasks required for papers needed to be label as “urgent”. Any bills or files that need review or second edit must be labeled as their names.
Use Sliding Trays
Prepare these files and sort the papers according to it’s label. Put them right in front of your eyes in a filing cabinet and try to put a reminder or an alarm when action is needed. Use sliding trays, insertable drawers or hanging binders for these papers to keep them in front of you.
Maintenance to Avoid Further Mess
To avoid further mess and mismanagement try these hacks and tricks; always label your file with right type and date or name which ever is needed. Do not scatter your whole drawer for one paper. Try finding out the right one with labelling system. Clean and organize from time to time to avoid clutter and mess.
Once in a while filter out the trash and de clutter your papers. Use binders to keep urgent papers in place. Within every 3 months re organize your papers and filing cabinets to avoid mess. Get rid of extra receipts, tickets and passes right away. Do not collect them in your bag and in your drawers.
Conclusion
To organize your papers like a pro, it is crucial to maintain a healthy and proper routine that you must follow. Separate all papers and organize them into defined categories, maintain them time to time. Label them according to their defined type. Separate records of similar types for different members and label them by their name.
To get rid of clutter and extra papers, which you don’t need anymore. You have to throw it into bin. These steps will lead you to organize your papers like a pro at your home within a small budget. Make sure to re organize every drawer and file within 3 months to get rid of mess and clutter.
Frequently Asked Questions
I recommend using organizers, filing cabinets, and plastic storage boxes to organize files. Label them according to their type and date. Manage their efficiency by filtering them out.
It helps to increase efficiency, ease of access and to organize a mixed paper work system.
You should organize your papers to maintain their access. It helps to manage space and storage. Organized files are easy to access and efficient for further use. Also, Your memories and important papers are easy to store for long term.
Filing Cabinets, Paper Binders, Filing shelves are best to use for organization. But if you are proceeding with a low budget I suggest you to use plastic storage boxes with lids to organize paper work.
Time to time filtration, labelling and exact placement of papers can save you a lot of time and help you to keep your papers organized.
