How to Create a Filing System That Can Organize All of Your Paperwork
Did you know that each year the world uses up roughly 422 million metric tons of paper? If your job requires you to keep paper records, then there’s a good chance that a lot of this paper is currently taking up space in your office.
Stacks and stacks of paper make it not only hard to find the documents you need, but it can also stress you out. The solution lies in organizing your documents using a filing system.
Sadly, creating a filing system that works is a hard task for many individuals. That’s why we created this article. In it, we’ll walk you through some of the popular types of filing systems.
That way, you can choose the one that best works for your organizational needs. Let’s get started!
Gather Together Everything You Need
Before you can even begin thinking about a filing system, you will need the necessary supplies to sort them. Typically, at a bare minimum, this involves a filing cabinet and folders.
Your filing cabinet should be large enough to accommodate all of the documents that you need to sort. In some cases, you might not need one if your desk has large drawers that you can organize your paperwork into.
Next, you will need specialized hanging files. These are files that can remain set up in a straight line. They make it easy to flip through. You will likely also need tabs for labeling your files.
However, the specific type you need depends on the system you ultimately land on. Where can you get these types of tabs? If you need a recommendation, then we suggest you look no further than TabShop.com.
This service allows you to design your tabs. As such, it works with any of the following systems found below.
Select a Filing System That Works for Your Needs
Now that you have everything you need it’s time to choose a filing system. In this section, we go over some of the popular types of systems that are commonly used. Remember that organization is very personal.
You need to factor in the type of documents you filing and your personal preferences when it comes to organization. Also, don’t be afraid to go off-script if you want to try a system that’s not on this list.
The most important thing is that you understand how your documents are filed. As long as you can find what you need, then it doesn’t matter if your system doesn’t make sense to anyone else.
Alphabetical Filing System
The first way to organize your files is in alphabetical order. This is a great system if you need to organize things like documents with people’s names, books, movies, customers.
If you have a lot of files, then we suggest you designate one file for each letter. That way it’s easy to sort through. Or, if you only have a handful of documents, then you can break the folders up into sections.
For example, one folder might be labeled ‘A through E’ and the next, ‘F through J’. That way you don’t waste folders for letters that you aren’t using.
Topical Filing System
Some people work with a variety of different subject matters. If you fall in this category, then you might want to try organizing your files based on the topics.
For example, let’s say you’re a lawyer that specializes in personal injury lawsuits. You might divide your folders into the follower categories:
- Car accident injuries
- Slipping and falling injuries
- Medical malpractice injuries
- Workplace injuries
- Domestic violence injuries
Keep in mind that if you have a lot of documents in each folder, then it might be helpful to create subsections. However, this is optional.
Numerical Filing System
Another method is to sort your files according to numbers. This is ideal if you work with documents like receipts or dates. For example, let’s say you’re a private contractor and a client wants to access an invoice from a certain date.
If your files are labeled “January 2020”, “February 2020”, “March 2020”, then it will be easy to find the invoice (assuming the client knows when the transaction took place. Just make sure that you keep them in order, or else this method can quickly get confusing.
Color Filing System
If you pride yourself on your visual recall abilities, then you might love a color-coded filing system. Simply assign each type of file with a color. Then, mark that file with the color. You can buy your tabs pre-colored, or you can add your own with a highlighter.
Just make sure that you’re certain you know what every color stands for. Otherwise, it’s easy to get things mixed up.
If you’re worried that you’ll forget what each color means, then consider writing an index on a notecard or post-it note. That way, you never have to worry about forgetting.
Frequency System
If you have documents that you need to access all of the time, then you might want to try a frequency system. However, we wouldn’t recommend this as a stand-alone system, unless you don’t have a ton of files.
Instead, try combining it with one of the other systems that we already mentioned.
Want More Content? Keep Reading
We hope this article taught you some helpful tips for creating a filing system. It’s important to remember that there isn’t a universal filing system that will work for everyone.
That’s because each individual has different filing needs and preferences. As such, we recommend going with the one that feels most natural. The most important piece of advice is to stick to the system once you’ve found one that works for you.
Did you enjoy this article? If the answer is yes, then you’re in the right place. Keep exploring to find more content that you’re sure to love.
