{"id":7861,"date":"2017-11-17T06:00:40","date_gmt":"2017-11-17T11:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/professional-organizer.com\/WordPress\/?p=7861"},"modified":"2017-10-23T07:51:59","modified_gmt":"2017-10-23T12:51:59","slug":"how-to-simplify-your-paper-files","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/professional-organizer.com\/WordPress\/how-to-simplify-your-paper-files\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Simplify Your Paper Files"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"How<\/a><\/p>\n

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Organizing your files today? Or would you rather watch paint dry on a wall? \u00a0It’s seems that this is not the most exciting topic however it can be one of the most necessary in every day life and in emergencies.\u00a0 Simplifying your filing and paper files includes knowing what’s holding you back as well as knowing what to keep.\u00a0 Build your simple filing system with your strengths in mind.\u00a0 Here’s how to simplify your paper files.<\/p>\n

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Assess what’s holding you back<\/h3>\n

What is filing for? \u00a0Here’s the first step to get clear. Files are your reference section to keep information to be used in the next year or so. \u00a0It’s not necessary to keep every piece of paper that comes into your home or business, especially if it’s not useful for you.\u00a0 Be ruthless when it comes to keeping what you need now, knowing\u00a0 you can use the internet, friends’ references, or other ways to get information instead of keeping extra paper.<\/p>\n

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What do \u00a0you need to keep and how long? \u00a0On Oprah.com<\/a>, Julie Morgenstern has an extensive list.\u00a0 Print this to keep as a reference while filing.\u00a0 However, that’s not generally what’s causing a filing problem.\u00a0 Instead it’s the articles on parenting, decorating, landscaping or other hobbies that keep holding us back. \u00a0Remember, that’s what the internet, pinterest, blogs, podcasts and google are for when we are ready to get started on a project.<\/p>\n

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Simplifying your system<\/h3>\n

What’s the best system? \u00a0The best system for you is the simplest way to move paper into a system. It’s also the best system for you to know where to retrieve the paper.\u00a0 Categories are often the context that’s easiest to use in creating files. Whether there are for file folders, hanging files, notebooks or digital notebooks, using general, broad categories helps us file and retrieve.<\/p>\n

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For homes, these are the general categories I suggest:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. House and Auto\n
      \n
    1. Auto purchase<\/li>\n
    2. Home Major Purchases<\/li>\n
    3. Home Repair\/Maintenance<\/li>\n
    4. House inventory<\/li>\n
    5. Insurance<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
    6. Financial (anything to do with money)\n
        \n
      1. Banking<\/li>\n
      2. Credit Cards<\/li>\n
      3. Investment<\/li>\n
      4. Retirement<\/li>\n
      5. Property Taxes<\/li>\n
      6. Life Insurance<\/li>\n
      7. Mortgage<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
      8. Personal (anything to do with people or pets)\n
          \n
        1. Medical Benefits<\/li>\n
        2. Medical History<\/li>\n
        3. Medical Explanation of Benefits<\/li>\n
        4. Medical Paid bills<\/li>\n
        5. School\/University<\/li>\n
        6. (Interests such as parenting, decorating, guns, etc)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
        7. Work\n
            \n
          1. Work history<\/li>\n
          2. CV or resume<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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            For office files, here are categories I include:<\/p>\n

              \n
            1. Clients<\/li>\n
            2. Resources<\/li>\n
            3. Vendors<\/li>\n
            4. Projects<\/li>\n
            5. HR or Employees<\/li>\n
            6. Financials 20XX<\/li>\n
            7. Expenses<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              Use hanging files for the broad categories and file folders for the subcategories. Use naming conventions, where the file names are created in a parallel way, in order to stay consistent and find documents.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Archive annually<\/h3>\n

              Tax records for each year, legal documents such as purchase or sale of property, and final loan payments are should be kept permanently. While you only need to keep tax preparation documents for seven years, please consult your own lawyer or accountant to be sure.\u00a0 It’s best to archive annually<\/a> when you are preparing for tax time in the spring.<\/p>\n

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              What’s left?<\/h3>\n