January 21st, 2011
Welcome to 2011! Will this be the year you finally get organized? Unfortunately, “getting organized” isn’t a one-time occurrence – it takes constant maintenance to become (and remain) organized throughout the year. Perhaps the easiest way to begin is to get your files prepared and ready for 2011.
Having and using a proper filing system may sound like a trivial feature – or one that’s boring to create and utilize, but you would be amazed at how much better it feels to be able to find any paperwork you need exactly when you need it, and to have a clean workspace without piles of unsorted papers on it!
/>Setting up Your Filing System
If you don’t already have some sort of filing system (for your work and your home or personal affairs), now is the ideal time to start. All you’ll need is a simple filing cabinet (you can use a cardboard banker’s box to start with, if you’re on a tight budget), a pack of file folders (preferably with 3 different tab positions, in assorted colors), and a pack of hanging files (if you go with the file cabinet option rather than the filing box).
Once you’ve procured supplies, the next step is to think for a moment about what kinds of files you need. On the personal side, you’ll likely want files with categories such as: banking, auto, insurance, health, home, credit card statements (one file for each card), etc. For business, the types of files you’ll keep will largely depend on your industry and specific line of business.
You can check with your accountant or CPA to find out how long certain types of files need to be kept before they can be shredded.
You will likely add more files as you begin to use your filing system (and once you really see what kind of papers pile up that need to be filed), but the key to remember is to organize it in a way that makes sense to you, and don’t let the files get too thick before sub-categorizing. For example, if you’ve created an “auto” file for your home filing system, but your family owns four different cars, and you seem to accumulate a lot of “auto” related paperwork, then you may wish to create four distinct files, one for each car.
Annual Maintenance of Your Filing System
Approximately once a year (January is an excellent time to do this, or just after you’ve completed your taxes for the prior year), you’ll want to purge your files and move certain important paperwork out of your filing cabinet and into storage (this is where a banker’s box can really come in handy). Box or bag up your receipts for the previous year, label the container carefully, and move to storage in a closet, basement or attic. You can also purge the year’s worth of credit card statements and bank statements into storage as well. Before purging your medical-related receipts and paperwork, be sure you’ve requested all eligible disbursements from your health care spending account (if you have one).
Once you purge the prior year’s files, label that box accordingly, so that you can easily find any old paperwork or documents you may need to locate.
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