How to Create A Filing System
Hey, friend! Thanks for coming back!
If you have been following along, this past month I have discussed topics such as Organizing Your Incoming Mail and Organizing Your Tax Documents Throughout the Year.
When I talked about organizing your mail, there was a step I mentioned about creating a folder labeled, “To File”. I personally don’t like to file all of the paperwork I need right after going through it and that is for two reasons:
1. I just don’t want to take the time to do it every single week
2. My filing cabinet is upstairs in my office. It is not a very convenient location. That is why I wait until I have enough to almost make my trip worth while to put everything away.
When that folder is full, I bring the folder upstairs to my filing cabinet and I file those papers away. I know exactly which folder these papers need to go into with my filing system.
Here are a few different ways that you can set up a filing system for yourself so you know exactly where your papers are and how to locate them in a pinch.
*note: I may receive a small commission for any product purchased through these affiliate links*
1. Choose Your Containers/Filing Cabinets
There are a few different containers and cabinets you could use to file your papers. I personally have a two-drawer filing cabinet but you may want something a little more decorative, or maybe something bigger for multiple people.
There are other options to store files in besides a standard filing cabinet. Here are a few examples with pictures below to give you some ideas:
Collapsable cloth bins on Amazon
An open mesh design so you can see everything at once on Amazon
A clear and stackable tote on Amazon
2. Get Folders & Label
No matter what type of filing cabinet or box you get, you will still need to get hanging file folders to hold all of your papers. Depending on your style, you may decide to color code and get colored hanging file folders or solid colored folders. Once you have your file folders, you are going to want to label each folder with a category so you know what type of papers will be in that folder. These hanging file folders come with the plastic casings and even printable label sheets so you can make everything look neat.
A word of caution, though, when you are labeling your file folders: don’t make the categories TOO specific so then you don’t remember where you put something. For instance, if something could fall under two different categories, try to find a common name for both categories and create just one category. This will take the guessing out of, “Well, did I put it in this category, or this one?”
Some examples of the different file folders you could have are:
bank statements
medical (for each family member)
home maintenance/repair
insurance policies
automobile (any receipts for any work done to each vehicle. A separate folder for each vehicle)
loan documents
credit card (one for each credit card)
401k, investments, stocks (folder for each type)
Tax Returns - for each person and year
Vital records (passports, IDs, SSC, marriage/death/birth certificates) NOTE: you may want to put these types of documents in a fireproof safe instead of storing in a filing cabinet. The choice is always yours.
You may also want to take your labeling game a step further. Whether you are using a filing cabinet, collapsable cloth bins, or clear bins, you could label the outside of each box or cabinet drawer so you know what is in each box. For instance, you may have one persons files in one box and yours in another. Or, you may have previous tax returns in one drawer and then everything else in another drawer/box.
Tell Me:
How are you organizing all of your paperwork right now? Did you find this helpful? Or, do you have other suggestions? I’m always open to learning new or even more proficient techniques! Drop a comment below to share your thoughts!
Until next week, friend!