File In Style
Brought to you by Joan Kosmachuk, Professional Organizer
and Personal Life Coach

Edward Siebel is credited with inventing the filing cabinet way back in 1898. According to Wikipedia, he was working in his father's insurance office and realised that the then current system of folding papers into envelopes and storing them in pigeon holes could be improved if the folding was dispensed with. The documents could then be stored in large envelopes (hangfiles) vertically, in drawers.

Despite the universal usefulness of this invention over all these years, I still meet many people who struggle with maintaining a traditional filing system. So, here are a few tips to help you file in style –- your style !!

1. Create file headings that think like you do:
While traditional file headings work for some, don’t be afraid to name your files using words and phrases that make sense to you and that will help you easily store and retrieve your documents.

Recently while setting up a new filing system for a client I asked for the name of the investment firm for his retirement fund. He said, “I’ll never remember what that file is for if you use the company name, so just call it “My Retirement”. We labeled the rest of his files with words and phrases that work for him like, “Tax Stuff” and “People who owe me money” etc. Ask yourself what comes to mind for a particular category of paperwork and then title your file folder accordingly.

2. Keep your files close at hand:
If your organizing style is a traditional one, all incoming paperwork is opened and processed in a home office. Active files are closest at hand in either a desk drawer oriented to your right or left-handedness or in a desktop file system. Reference and Archived files are kept in a filing cabinet sitting within reach of your chair.

But, if your organizing style tends toward a more casual approach, you may be sorting your mail, paying your bills and reviewing your financial statements while you watch TV, cook dinner, or relax in your bed. If this is the case, there’s no point keeping your filing cabinet in the traditional “home office.” Instead, place your active filing system close-by to where you are working even if that means that your nightstand or coffee table is actually a filing cabinet. This will encourage you to file your papers as you are done with them.

Home Decorators are just one of the many furniture companies that have decorative looking file drawers that allow you to bring your files out of the office into other areas of the house without anyone but you knowing they are there.

3. Know your filing style:
Do you keep your papers out in the open for fear of forgetting about them?
One easy solution is to keep a list of your current file headings on your computer or on a printed list tucked into your deskpad or placed on the outside of your filing cabinet. This way you’ll have a visual reminder of the documents you’ve hidden inside.

Do you tend to “pile” rather than “file”? Piles that are not sorted into easily identifiable categories become an insurmountable paper mountain when you need to find an important document in a hurry.

For pilers, Pendaflex is one of the leading companies creating products for managing your piles. You can join their “I hate filing club” to learn more tips and products for organizing your piles and for easy retrieval of your documents when you need them.

Other unique filing systems for those who want to “see” their paperwork include storing files in plastic Ziploc bags and hanging them from a wire line with metal clips – use the bags that have a white strip for recording the date/contents of each bag.

Hang-Up by Monaco also provides clear plastic bags large enough to hold your papers so that you can see the contents at a quick glance and systems for hanging them.

Even if you choose a traditional filing method, consider personalizing your filing system with file folders that make you smile and fit your style.

For assistance in finding your file style and creating a filing system that works for you, consider enlisting the help of a professional organizer. To hire the services of Joan Kosmachuk, please email your request to info@simpleeffects.com or call 617-784-0707.

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