Creating a Filing System
Storage
A small filing cabinet is good for organising household papers, but a portable file box may be all you need. Put papers into plastic or card folders labelled by subject, so that you can take out everything to do with a particular subject in one go.
Files
Named files might include:
- bank and credit cards (keep bank statements in ring binders of the correct size, available from your bank)
- clubs/societies
- employment
- financial planning
- garden maintenance and equipment
- holidays
- household equipment (staple receipts and warranties together and clip to the instruction book)
- household repairs and maintenance
- utilities; insurances (household and personal)
- investments;
- loans
- medical/dental records
- mortgage
- pensions
- personal documents such as birth and exam certificates
- pet records
- receipts for smaller purchases (in case you have a credit card query or need to take something back)
- savings
- subscriptions
- tax
Working with the Filing System
- Stick a list on the front of the file box or, in the case of a filing cabinet, each drawer, indicating files inside.
- Start a new file rather than putting an item in a file that only approximates its subject, where you'll have difficulty finding it.
- File papers as soon as they are dealt with. Don't put them back in the in-tray.
- Before filing, write a 'destroy' date on each piece. Purge your files every time you go to them, or every month.
- Tackle a filing backlog for just ten minutes at a time. If you get bored, you'll be more likely to stuff papers in the wrong files, to get rid of them.
