What does an organized filing system mean to you?
This was the question I recently asked on Twitter and I got some great responses:
It means being able to access what I am looking for without destroying my house. Alphabetical, by topic.
When my DH asks where the paperwork for “X” is I can find it without hesitation. I have easy access to our important paper
An organized file system means I can find anything I want in the 1st place I seek it, saving time & $ & eliminating frustration.
Easy, not a lot of work to maintain, helps me find what I need when I need it. I have huge piles of “need to file.” I need a cure
A system in which I can easily see where to file items and can easily retrieve them when needed. Easy purging is also essential.
It’s the difference between sanity and insanity.
It would change my life. That is the area I struggle w/ the most! At work, I made it perfectly. Not @ home.
And my personal favorite:
To me it says, “You are in the wrong house, back away slowly and whistle in an inconspicuous manner until you make your getaway.”
Can you identify with any of those?
I’m a visual person so the first link I want to direct you to for help is a video from MonkeySee which is such a great site for visual folks like me.
How to set up a filing system @ MonkeySee
Professional Organizer Vicky Norris explains why an alpha system might not be the best solution in this video ~ Filing System Tips
And a few other helpful links of various filing methods and systems:
Filing Piling Smiling @ Organize U - Allison also offers a free e-guide, Take Back Your Home Office in 14 Days, which you can sign up for by visiting here.
Time to Clear Out the Files @ Thoughts from Miller Manor
I hate filing! @ Messy Moms
How to make and use a financial binder for your paperwork @ Stephanie’s Mommy Brain
File It @ My Road to Sanity
Reduce Filing Induced Headaches: Simplify Your System @ One Organized Life
Why Organizing Paper is so Challenging @ by the creators of the JOYS Filing System
This post sponsored by Scanalog ~ win a copy of their software!
photo courtesy of S.C. Asher
13 Comments
What a brilliant post! This is one of the reasons we love you so much “Junkie” – this information is so helpful! Thank you…you have inspired me to address the paper issue in my home and get my disastrous situation under control.
To me it says, “You are in the wrong house, back away slowly and whistle in an inconspicuous manner until you make your getaway.”
This was too funny! I have children like that. Thanks for the link love!
tm
I added the yearly file cabinet purge to my list of Tackle it Tuesday things to do & blog about! Thanks for the reminder!
What a great selection of resources… thanks for sharing!
I was just getting ready to go take a picture of my finished product, but I think I’ll wait until I check all these out.
This is a great bunch of resources! I too, hate to file and wish we could get it under control. Thanks for the ideas!
I love the Twitter responses:-)
Wow! Thanks for the link love!! I’m honored that you linked to me!
Below is a link to a neat file organizer that I really like.
http://www.overflowliving.com/Simplify_Organize_Products.html#homeproducts
If you are looking for some fun and colorful filing folders to liven up your home office, check out this link.
http://www.overflowliving.com/Simplify_Organize_Folders.html
Your website is such an inspiration to me. I am a cluttered mess at the moment. My husband and I have a beautiful 13 month old daughter named Lily and another on the way.
I’m right now fighting the toy clutter all over my living room. There are days that I just don’t want to pick anything up. So, off to get containers!
Your blog came at such a perfect time. I’m at my wits end with all the paper work strewed all over my kitchen and sometimes I find a bill behind my computer desk.
Right now everything is a really big mess. So, I am taking your advice and taking it fifteen minutes at a time each day. Thanks for your advice and your love of containers.
Thanks so much for the post, I really need to get our paperwork sorted. Since I’ve been on Mat Leave my not so organised husband has been in charge of bills and therefore paperwork. I need to reclaim it!
Its the 19th and I still have not tackled this months round up….I have tried binders, filing (ihatepaperworkanything) so these are great resources, I too am totally visual. “your in the wrong house….ROFL”
Thank you for the inspiration
Val
thanks for all of these links. I’m at a loss as to what to do for all my miles of papers. i’m looking at all the links for grand and simple ideas. thanks for sharing.
amy