#filiing

Saturday, April 9, 2016 Day 153

In the previous post, Part 1 of this series on organizing paperwork, I address the important preparation step of thinking about what kind and the volume of your paperwork, your space, system maintenance, and asking life's "what-ifs" to find solutions in the answers. For this post, Part 2 in the series, I want to talk about different filing solution options available.

When it comes to how to store and access your paper files, whether in a home or an office setting, there are several options that exist. Here are some outlined below:

Traditional file cabinets: Either permanent or transportable file cabinets that house tabbed hanging files. The key to success with this office organizing gold standard approach is to clearly mark your hanging files with plastic tabs, color coding by similar subject and even alphabetizing within each category. Also, side-step stagger the tabs so they are easy to read, and use manilla file folders for easy grab-and-go access.

Go vertical and use binders: For some people maintaining a traditional file cabinet system just doesn't work. Either they find the system counter-intuitive, they don't have the room to have file cabinets as furniture, or it just isn't appropriate for the type of paperwork they are organizing. Fortunately, the office supply industry has included a lot of binder-related file sorting tools. Binders come in many varied widths, from as small as a 1/2 inch to as wide as 4 inches. They also have plastic covers and spines so you can insert labels to identify what is inside. Also, using plastic page protectors and tabbed file dividers are key to a successful binder system. Labeling each section specifically and sorting paperwork into different color categories can help as well

Stay vertical but use magazine file folders: I like to think of this option as "the binder system lite." You get the advantage of vertical storage but you don't have to deal with the binders themselves. Purchasing binders can add up in cost, as well as in weight. Sometimes they are just too bulky. A simpler alternative is using pocketed folders and vertical magazine holders. I find this option works for a system that you need to be easily transportable. The folders are lightweight and easily fit in a briefcase or rolling file cabinet. Also, they are designed to hold magazines, catalogues, or other paperwork or collateral that won't easily fit in a folder or binder and are substantial enough to stand on their own.

Magazine holders can be bought in bulk fairly inexpensively. They come in various widths, made of cardboard, or more designer styles of metal, plastic or wood. Sort your paperwork into categories and label the front of each magazine holder to identify its contents.

Hanging wall systems: If you don't have a lot of paperwork, setting up a hanging wall system for your paperwork could be just the solution you have been waiting for. The necessity for this solution is of course, wall space. There is either the stationary plastic hanging organizers which have to be mounted on your wall (or can hang from cubical walls) or there are flexible, portable files that can be taken down off the wall, folded up, for easy carrying.