3 Steps to Finding Your Hardcopy Files

So you've decided that you're over the panic that ensues every time you need to provide your birth certificate, medical records, or reference your insurance paperwork, and you are taking action by getting those files organized. Good for you! Paperwork can seem overwhelming at first--but when it's organized in a way that makes sense to you, it doesn't have to be that big of a deal! In today's EPISODE, I'll share three simple steps to finding your files.

Step #1: Create Broad Categories

When we niche down our file cabinet categories too much, we create more visual clutter to navigate through. Instead of creating different files for my birth certificates, social security cards, passports, transcripts, and copies of my driver's license, I have ONE broad category called "Personal Documents" that I use to house all of the documents that I use to prove my identity. If your category contains fewer than 25 papers, see if you can combine it into a broader category.

Additionally, make those broad categories the places you would actually think to look for documents. Instead of "Insurance" for home, car, and medical insurance, consider keeping all of your medical records and insurance together, home records and insurance together, and car records and insurance together in files named, "Medical," "Home," and "Car." It's likely you'll think of the use for the record more than you'll think of the specific type of record.

When keeping categories broad, put frequently used records toward the front of your file, and less-frequently used files toward the back for easy searching!

Step #2: Line Up Your Tabs

If you're using a filing system, traditional practice suggests that you alternate the location of your tabs, much as you would if you were putting tabs into a book. Left, center, right, repeat. This practice actually makes searching your files a lot more difficult, as it redirects your eyeline across multiple fields. In speed reading, you practice making as few eye movements as possible to increase rate of comprehension--fewer movements actually mean faster processing time. The same thing applies to your files! Instead of redirecting your eye into three horizontal movements and a vertical row, line up all of your tabs in a single column to create a simple vertical search. 

Step #3: Maintain Your Files

So many of us think of organizing as the sparkly product of 2 hours of work, seeing the after of our original before. But being organized means you have to maintain your system. If you want to actually be able to find your important documents over the course of time, you have to maintain the systems you set in place! There's no point in looking for your insurance record if the records you have are all policies that expired four years ago. You can make the simple practice of replacing old documents with new each time the new comes in, or you can do what I do, which is set aside time each year to review your documents. I use this time to go through each file, take out what I don't need, create a list of paperwork that I might need to hunt down, and consolidate what I can. Maintenance is inevitable when physical systems (and digital, too) are created. Systems that minimize that maintenance are the goal!

So to recap: to create easy to find hard copy files, create broad categories, line up your tabs, and plan for maintaining your files regularly. No matter your age, I promise you'll feel the most adult and put together when you can quickly pull necessary documents. Be sure to reach out to me via email or on social media to let me know how you apply these tips to your paperwork!