Organizing office files and folders
I am looking for ways to organize different aspects of my life.
Need ideas on organizing office files and folders, project files, etc.
Can you give me some ideas?
Regards K.P.R.Karanth| Project Manager
First off, my golden rule for filing is…….
1. Don’t keep any paper you absolutely don’t have to.
Less paper, less filing 
This is how I only need to file about 10 papers every 3 – 4 weeks.
2. What type of organiser are you?
Note I didn’t say “what type of organiser do you want to be”. Be realistic.
Will you actually punch paper and put in lever arch files (3-ring binders) or do you know you’re a bit lazy and need to just toss things in a folder?
Before I went on my decluttering bend years ago, I used to be a very lazy filer and so I used these files. No punching, just toss. Lovely.
3. Decide on a solution and try it out for a month
Think carefully about your needs before you go out and buy anything! Buying is the last step in the organising process.
That said, if the system doesn’t suit your working style, stop frustrating yourself and try something else until it works for you.
If you’re lazy about filing like I used to be because of the MOUNDS of paper I’d collect, then I’d use the folders above and store them like this.
or I’d put the papers in clear display folders (flipfiles) and store them in these magazine holders
My favourite way to organise projects is by throwing everything in one of these clear plastic envelopes. You can see I toss in the pens and flash drives, everything.
When I’m done, I pare down the paper and keep only the essentials in these envelopes. They take slightly less paper and then they go in those magazine holders.
Do you know you can make your own magazine holders with cereal boxes?
What are your favourite ways to organise your office files and folders?
P.S. Check out more ways to organise your office
Tags: office organising
You are giving me inspiration, thank you! I realized from this that I am a lazy filer too. I hate filing! So I am going to use more of the methods you are showing here. I always think I’ll use 3-ring binders but I never do and I hate using hole punchers. “Light-bulb moment here!” Thank you.
Have you any tips to organise my daughter’s bedroom? She has`a`whole variety of toys, and is extremely messy. She has`a`messive built in cupboard but everything falls out when you open the door!
It would need to be very easy and straightforward for her to use it.
I have never seen those clear plastic envelopes. Love that idea!
Great tips here. I’m really struggling right now with organizing my office (OK the whole house LOL) but the office is where it all happens so that is the most important right now.
Anne, they are the greatest!
Angie, they are great, great tools.
In regards to K.P.R.Karanth| Project Manager question, what categories do you suggest. I think I am figuring out the filing method, but what would you suggest as categories, for home and for those who have their own home business. Part of my over whelm is not knowing what to file, as much as how to file.
Dianne
Dianne, it really depends. I work with so many different sorts of people with different needs.
For home, there are general categories but you need to choose how to name them – mine are bond (mortgage), phone, electricity, repairs, appliance purchases, insurance (homeowners and household), etc.
For my business, I keep very little paper. But my computer categories are speaking, writing (articles and blogging), organising, coaching, the business of my business (in there I have financial, website, systems and processes, pictures).
To give you an example of different people, some may have marketing. I market through blogging, writing articles, newsletter and speaking, so mine is there, it’s just spread out all over the place. Someone else might have “marketing” and have it all in there. I think in those categories so that’s how I file.
Hope this helps.
P.S. Has your CD arrived yet?
I love the plastic folders too..there are 4 of us in the household with year end tax returns to do. There’s a plastic folder for each person. Throughout the year, everything that belongs to tax time goes in the folders, receipts, forms, etc…so simple. When it’s tax time, we pull out the plastic folders and it’s done. One folder for each year(date label on each plastic folder) and stored in banker boxes for each one of us. So easy, no more overwhelm. Thanks for all the ideas Marcia.