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	Creating A Filing System
	By Ramona Creel

Feel free to use this tip sheet / checklist as you tackle your own ""do-it-yourself"" organizing projects. If you would like to REPRINT or DISTRIBUTE this information, please click here for reprinting instructions.

• find a good filing cabinet
• check to see how easily the drawers slide when full
• make sure there are rails for supporting hanging files
• more flexibility if drawers can hold letter and legal files
• lateral file drawers hold paper more efficiently
• if you prefer open storage use file crates on book shelves

• hanging file folders (letter or legal)
• manila interior file folders (letter or legal)
• 1/5 cut clear plastic tabs for hanging files
• 1/5 cut colored plastic tabs for hanging files (at least 4 colors)

• start with broad filing categories
• ex: "financial paperwork" or "car" or "insurance"
• then divide each large category into smaller subcategories
• ex: within "insurance" would be "car", "homeowners", "medical", etc.

• want your file labels to uniquely express how you view your files
• but also need to make sense so no one has to guess what is stored where
• start with a noun rather than an adjective
• ex: not "past clients" but "clients: past"
• moving from general ("clients") to specific ("past")
• files with the same prefix will be together alphabetically in the drawer
• try to avoid vague and nebulous categories like "miscellaneous" or "other"
• 99% of the time, you can think of a specific category that encompasses that document

• arrange major categories in drawer alphabetically
• label one hanging file for each major category
• use a clear plastic tab positioned to the far left of the file to label each
• label each subcategory on a separate folder
• can put each in a manila folder inside the right major category
• or put each in a separate hanging file behind the main category folder
• arrange subcategory folders alphabetically within major category

• use a different color folder or tab for each section of files
• ex: all "financial" folders are green or have a green label
• makes it easier to find the file you need quickly
• makes it easier to put folders back in the right place

• used to open your drawer and sort through a sea of files to find the right one
• now you can put your hands on the folder you want almost instantly
• run down the row of major categories until you find the right one
• ex: if hunting your Visa bill, you would look for "credit cards" or "finances"
• then slide over to the appropriate color-coded subcategories
• make things easier with a file index that lists categories in alphabetical order

• remember that your filing system is dynamic and ever-changing
• as interests and responsibilities change, so should your filing system
• don’t be afraid to abandon a category if you don’t use it anymore
• don't hesitate to add a new category if you need it
• consolidate folders that seem to go together under one larger heading
• split categories up into smaller pieces if your folders get too stuffed
• set aside time once a year to purge obsolete information from your files

 

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