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I have a bit of a filing cabinet obsession. This is going to sound weird but I actually enjoy creating labels and organizing paperwork. When tax season rolls around, I like to assess and reorganize my system. I find this to be a perfect time because I’m already elbows deep in paperwork trying to prepare.
I haven’t put much money into my filing system. I’ve been using my parents’ old hanging files and using a filing cabinet that I found on the side of the road – totally made my husband garbage pick for me! No regrets. I find that there are three steps that need to be addressed when dealing with paperwork clutter.
- Purge: Get rid of what you don’t need
- Organize: Sort into categories
- System: Create file & folder labels
Purge:
One of the best Christmas presents I received last year was a paper shredder (I did warn you that my feelings about this are a little odd). Hear me out: It makes disposing of sensitive documents much easier and less stressful. When junk mail comes in, I can head right over to the shredder and take care of it then and there. I feel confident and comfortable that my personal and sensitive information isn’t floating around, more so than it probably already is – internet probs.
Digital paperwork is becoming more and more reliable and acceptable. If I can get away with a digital version of the document, I’ll get rid of the physical paper. Most of our statements and bills are paperless saving us the hassle of storing them.
For more information on decluttering paperwork, check out this post.
Organize:
This part is really going to depend on you and what type of paperwork you need or want to keep. Try to think of where you would look if needed to find a specific document. It doesn’t have to make sense to someone else; you are the one who needs to be able to navigate it.
Create Labels:
I purchased Avery labels. It is possible to create labels on your own but for the price, it’s ridiculously easy to just buy them and use the pre-made template. The best part? Avery finally made the switch to Google Docs! Now, I can save my labels in my Google drive with ease.
- Records – birth certificates, death certificates, passports
- Education – transcripts, certifications, awards,
- Medical – bills, shot records, birth records, medical insurance
- Financial – account statements, retirement information, investments,
- Career – work evaluations, promotions,
- Vehicles – registration, maintenance records, title, financing information, warranties
- Tax Return – labeled by year
- Business – licenses, receipt purchases, account information
- Home – insurance, inspection report, home improvement projects, receipts
Since I like to reorganize the filing cabinet every year or so, I thought I’d try something a little different. Normally, I separate files based on type but this year, I’m going to try to organize some of the files based on individual family members. For instance, my hanging folder would hold my records, education, medical, financial, and career folders. Filing systems should be personal. Find what works for you and don’t be afraid to try different things, especially if something isn’t working.
Dealing with incoming paperwork:
This can be a source of stress and clutter for many of us. Mail comes in and we struggle to take care of it because it’s inconvenient. I like to shred junk mail right away. One less thing to worry about! As for the rest of it, I’ve created a system. I have a tired folder holder with three folders: bills, tax documents, and to be filed. These broad categories make it quick and easy for me to get the mail off of the counter. I put it somewhere close to where the mail comes in – easy accessibility means I’m more likely to use it! I address the bills folder weekly and take care of the to-be-filed folder on a monthly basis. The tax documents wait till tax season. After we file our return, I file them in the filing cabinet under the appropriate year.
Conclusion:
Paper clutter can be overwhelming. It’s important to find a system that works for you and your family. I’d love to hear from you! Let me know what’s working for you and what isn’t.