Organizing Paperwork: Say Goodbye to the Clutter

Papers, while seemingly harmless, could give you a lot of trouble as they pile up. Organizing paperwork is a prerequisite to being efficient. Tidying your papers becomes imperative when the documents are of importance, such as financial records, certificates, registration proof and similar. If the pile of papers on your desk reminds you of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, then it’s time you took our advice. Start now!

Prepare for the beginning: Let’s begin on a happy note, shall we? Go shopping. Yeah, you heard us right. To get your papers in order you will need boxes, markers, probably a shredder, files, clips and those stick on labels in fluorescent colors. Get them all in order before you start.

Get to work: Sort out the piles into personal and business categories such as financial records, car and home registration, communication from the kids’ schools and so on (we’re assuming that you’re a really bad case). Let’s start with the official stuff like bills, invoices, and contracts. Categorize these further by date, indicating the relevant category by pasting a different color label (see, we told you that you’ll need the stuff). Use of visual identifiers is always a good idea when organizing paperwork. Also, try and distinguish between papers that need your immediate attention and those that don’t; it will help you deal with them faster. If some of the information could be stored on your PC, do so to save space and time.

Files and folders: File your papers once you are done sorting. Assign each category a folder and within it, different files for the various subcategories. For instance, designate one folder for finances and file details of bank accounts, bills etc separately in it. Follow an order while filing; a reverse chronological order is the norm. Book- mark the papers mentioning a “destroy date” to prevent a build up of unnecessary papers.

Old is no gold: Kindly do away with old and outdated documents. Dispose them off immediately so that you are not tempted to make keepsakes of them. Shredding is advisable, especially if they hold sensitive information.

Target desktop: All your problems probably start here. Divide the space on your table into segments: inner and outer. If there are files you need to refer to daily, it would be smartest to keep them on the inner part of your desk. Target the corners of your table and designate one for papers that have just come in and one for papers that are going out. This way you will avoid a build up of paper in the future. The outer portion of your table could house your PC, planner and other gizmos.

Organizing paperwork could be done in several innovative ways. “Taming the Paper Tiger, Organizing the Paper in Your Life “ by Barbara Hemphill could give you some more bright ideas. “A Space of Your Own: Becoming an Awesome Organizer in Your Home Office“ by Debbie Williams, can help answer your queries on managing and organizing paperwork.

Of course, what works best with paperwork is to prevent a pile up of documents in the first place. Be organized right at the outset and you will find that life is much easier. But if you are already In the middle of a crisis, then our tips should help you regain control in no time!