3 Simple Filing Guidelines

General talk about office stuff

Maria Gracia () -

3 Simple Filing Guidelines

by Maria Gracia

One of the most basic ways to find papers when you need

them is to retrieve them from an effective filing system.

A good filing system will allow you to find what you're

looking for in 10 seconds or less.

Here are 3 simple filing guidelines that can help:

1. CATEGORIZING.

A filing system is only effective, if you can find

everything you need, when you need it--without a struggle.

And all good filing systems have different categories of

papers. Your papers are either going to fall into a MAIN

category, or a SUB-category.

For example, a main category might be FINANCIAL. Some

sub-categories within Financial, may be:

--Savings Account

--Checking Account

--Money Market Account

In your filing cabinet, your main categories should always

be hanging file folders with a labeled tab. Your

sub-categories should be labeled manila file folders inside

the appropriate main category hanging folder.

2. BASIC FILING SYSTEMS.

For the most part, people choose to use one, or a

combination of, these basic filing systems:

A. Alphabetical (A, B, C, D, etc.)

B. Numerical (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.)

C. Chronological (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, etc.)

The one you use, depends on what you're using it for. For

example, if you need to keep files for all of your

customers (or associates, friends, etc.), alphabetical by

last name usually will work best.

For sequential case numbers or projects that are numbered,

a numerical system would probably work best.

If it is necessary for you to find things by date, then

chronological may be your choice.

Some people get really creative and use a combination of

these systems. For example, you may want your main

categories to be chronological, but the sub-categories

inside to be alphabetical.

3. LABELING.

If a file isn't labeled properly, it's not going to be quick

and easy to find:

* Always write your subject on the tab of the file folder,

close to the top of the tab, so you can easily see it when

you're looking through your files.

* Use a medium point, black marker to label your files.

Print; don't use script.

* Use as few words as possible on the tab.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

by Maria Gracia - Get Organized Now!

http://www.getorganizednow.com

FREE Idea-Pak and E-zine filled with tips, ideas,

articles and more to help you organize your home,

your office and your life at the Get Organized Now!

Web site!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS ARE FREE TO REPRINT THIS ARTICLE

IN ITS ENTIRETY AS LONG AS THE BYLINE REMAINS INTACT.

About the Author

Maria Gracia, owner of http://www.getorganizednow.com and author

of the book, 'Finally Organized, Finally Free' can help

you organize your home, your office and your life. Visit

her Web site at: http://www.getorganizednow.com

• http://www.getorganizednow.com

Comment #1 Isabella from The Southwest -

These are great tips. I have always had some type of filing system and it by far makes things so much easier. I have files for everything - each one of my children has a file labeled with their name and all of their pertinent information is in there, like their birth certificates, social security cards, immunization cards, etc.

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