With the rise in computer usage, people said that paper filing would become obsolete, but that hasn’t been the case! Today we are talking about filing! Learn tips to declutter and organize your files as we focus on the home office.
Don’t forget to check our part 2 on our filing tips coming next week!
Organized Office: Filing
According to Organized World, the use of office paper has tripled since the birth of the computer. The 80/20 rule is especially true hear, meaning that we probably don’t use 80% of the files we keep. The Small Business Administration states that 80 % of the papers we file, we never refer to again.
Let’s also look at the cost of doing and maintaining filing. Gartner Group, Coopers & Lybrand, Ernst & Young found It costs about $25,000 to fill a four drawer filing cabinet and over $2,100 per year to maintain it. And finally: Americans waste more than 9 million hours each day looking for lost and misplaced articles according to the American Demographic Society.
If you haven’t decluttered or gotten organized, now is the time!
Organized Office: Decluttering
Take out all of your files. Retrieve any other files that may be in other areas of the home or in your briefcase, computer bag, etc. Have a pen and pad in case you need to jot down any notes.
Sort all of your files into broad categories. I have 3 drawers of files in one filing cabinet. Personal, Business and Financial are my three main categories. All files fit in one of the categories.
Once you have created your broad categories, begin sorting within each category. I am going to suggest you again keep your files simple with broad categories. Within personal, I have one insurance file that holds all insurance policies. What categories would you use for filing?
A mistake that people often do is making filing really complicated. You don’t want it to be. Make it simple not only for you, but for others that might need access to your files.
Organized Office: Purging
After you have sorted your files, it’s time to purge. I always recommend talking with an attorney and accountant on retaining certain files and see what their recommendations and guidelines are. I seem to ask this question of my accountant almost annually so I can let go of anything that I no longer need.
This is can be challenging, especially if you are in the habit of saving everything or not filing because you cannot make a decision. Commit to making a decision on all your files. I promise that once you do an overhaul, it is easy to maintain once you keep up with it.
Here are some suggestions on what to purge:
Ask yourself if you really need to save it and then ask again! I cannot stress this enough. If you can get into the habit of releasing what you no longer do it makes clearing up your files a cake walk.
Magazines, journals, articles. How up to date is the information? Is it the latest and most accurate? With the power of the Internet and Google, most likely your paper copy is outdated.
In our next blog post, I’ll share more things to consider when purging.
What do you need to purge from your files? What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to purging?
Go out clear the clutter to create the life you choose, deserve and desire!
DIY Options to Clear Clutter
Purchase Julie’s books on how to clear clutter from your life: https://www.amazon.com/Julie-Coraccio/e/B07JGGL7ZL/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Subscribe to Clear Your Clutter Inside & Out Podcast https://reawakenyourbrilliance.com/resources-concierge-services/podcasts/self-help-podcast/
Check out more of my decluttering tips and how to get organized on my YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/SeibertRadio?feature=watch
The post Organized Office: How Can I Declutter and Organize My Files, Part 1 appeared first on Reawaken Your Brilliance.
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