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Louise writes, "Please help. I'm having trouble organizing my household files. I have a 4 drawer file cabinet, hanging files, and folders. I should be able to lay my hands on anything concerning the house, yard, insurance, auto, services, medical, taxes, investments, etc., etc., etc. But I always have to search and search. There are just too many pieces of paper."
Thanks for writing Louise, this is a popular question! Here are my suggestions.
With a 4 drawer filing cabinet I would do the following:
1. Label the top drawer "Current" and place in it bills to be paid, this year's paid bills and receipts, outstanding bank loans and credit cards, current autos with corresponding insurance and repairs, mortgage or lease documents, property tax, house insurance, investments and minutes to meetings that you attend.
This drawer could be broken into 4 to 6 major categories such as Financial, Home, Auto, Personal. Each category could be assigned a different coloured file folder. Within each category I would place folders for individual components. For example under Auto there is a folder for each of our vehicles, and one for auto insurance.
If the folders were not colour coordinated, then I would label each one (with the tab on the same side for every one) first the Category name, then the name of the folder. e.g. Financial - T.D. Bank.
2. Label the bottom drawer "Archives" and store in it anything you don't want to dispose of, but rarely use. This would include all of last years Financial records - receipts, pay stubs, old bank passbooks, etc. labeled 2001. Once this drawer gets too full, simply pull out the oldest year's folders and if the retention time hasn't passed, store them in a box in the basement or attic. You may also want to keep children's school work here along with files on previous properties, vehicles and completed court cases.
3. The two middle drawers would be available for Interests and Reference. If you have a home based business, then one drawer would definitely be reserved for business use only. Interests would include hobbies, home and garden ideas, travel plans and thoughts, things you might like to do.
Reference could share a portion of the drawer with Interests if need be and would consist of things like maps, internet research, addresses, pamphlets, local advertisements for services you may be interested in, information sent out by city council, last year's calendar, measurement and equivalency charts, etc.
4. One little trick to try is to label each piece of paper with the initials of the category and file folder it belongs in. When filing, always remember to ask yourself not where should I file it, but where will I look for it? You could also create a computerized Master List or purchase filing software, but this will be a good start.
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