What Momma Never Taught you about Filing
What Momma Never Taught you about Filing
What Momma Never Taught you about Filing
Workers everywhere admit they are often overwhelmed by the stacks of paper found in their offices, at home and in life in general. While most of us were taught specifics relating to phone or computer skills, very few people were ever taught filing techniques. Momma might have taught you how to do laundry, cook and even how to balance your checkbook but I'm guessing she overlooked Filing 101.
Most papers can be divided into one of three categories: Action, Reference, or Archive. Here are samples of each and guidelines for sorting.
1. Action - These items represent something you have to do. Have a pad of sticky notes handy to label things if necessary. If this pile is too large to act on in the next week, divide things into a reasonable amount over the next month or so. Here are a few examples if things you'll run across at home and at work. Please note that each item has a verb which signifies an ACTION item:
Send thank you note to client
RSVP for company event
Return item to another department/individual
Create spreadsheet for Marketing Budget
Sign up for Employee Disability Insurance
Make Dentist appointment
Sign up kids for spring soccer
Redeem Coupon
Pay Bill
2. Reference - These documents represent items that currently pertain to you and your household or job. You will want to create a labeled file for each category and have these files handy in a filing cabinet or Banker's Box. Here's a sampling of some of the things you might run across as you dig out from your papers:
At Home:
Banking statements
Credit Cards
Donation Receipts
Employment records, including up-to-date copy of your resume
Household Repairs
Insurance Records Automobile, Disability, Dental, Homeowners, Liability, Medical, Vision,
Investment Records including Real Estate and Retirement
Medical records/receipts
Receipts for items purchased in current year
School records for children (I recommend one file for each child all the way through college)
Tax records for current year includes receipts, statements or other documents which will be needed to prepare Tax Returns
Warranties
At Work:
Project files some current, other recently finished
Bids for upcoming projects, products or campaigns
HR Benefits: statements and brochures
Budget reports
Industry White Paper
Items to Read such as trade magazines, association newsletters, company announcements
3. Archived When you think of archived items, think of things that you don't typically need on a day-in and day-out basis but you may need them some day in the future. They may represent something historical, practical or sentimental. Items with an (*) are personal things that should be stored in a safety deposit box or fire-proof safe.
At home:
Adoption records*
Back-up copies of photos and computer hard drives
Certificates: Birth, Death, Divorce, Marriage*
Former real estate transactions
Former stock purchases
Military Records*
Newspaper articles (within reason!)
Passports*
Past tax returns*
Wills & Healthcare Directives*
At work:
Completed and closed out project files
Blueprints of completed projects
Signed-off approvals
Receipts for supplies/equipment
Warranties of equipment
Historical data, photos, documents related to your job
Print samples of brochures, business cards, or other business stationery
Action Files are probably the most time-sensitive since they represent something needing to be done. Make sure you can visually see your action files each and every day. At home, use an open file box on your kitchen counter. At work, use a step file sorter which will keep your files within arms' reach and always visible.
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