2012 Third Quick Tip Week: File Documents Consistently

October 14, 2012 by Tracy

Quick Tip Week - Filing Documents Consistently

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Quick Tip Week is here! Enjoy a week of shorter posts highlighting one tip in each category this week. For series already in progress, I will continue with the next segment following our Quick Tip Week. Embrace this week, add your tips in the comments, and continue using time wisely!

Quick Tip #1: File Documents Consistently

When organizing any filing system, keeping the framework consistent saves you time and energy when retrieving your desired document.

When I place documents in my files, I prefer to place the most recent information at the beginning of the file. This way if I am looking for information about the initial opening an account, I would look in the back of the file for the oldest information.

Whether you use a notebook, accordion file, hanging files, or on-line, choose a framework that works for you and file documents consistently.

By knowing approximately where a document is located, you can find it quickly while using time wisely. Happy organizing consistently!

Question: How do you prefer to organize your document files?

Additional Items in Box 2 of our Important Documents

July 15, 2012 by Tracy

In completing file Box 2, I mentioned in last week’s post that I had a few extra documents tucked into the last pocket of my filing system.

The first and last pockets in my accordion file do not have a label holder, so I usually skip those slots when filing items.

However, the openings can hold items if needed, so I chose to place a few uncategorized documents in the last pocket for safe keeping.

Employer’s Bankruptcy Court Documents

After ~~leaving~~ being laid off from his previous employer (2006), my husband, Paul, began receiving legal notices of that company’s bankruptcy proceedings.

Though he was no longer an employee, Paul got these notices seeking to find all the company’s debts. As a previous employee, Paul got these notice. Even though the company fulfilled all its payments to us, we continued to receive the correspondence.

Since these notices did not pertain to any of our accounts or policies, I needed to assign a place to file this paperwork. With the last file opening of Box 2 empty, I filed the documents in this slot near other paperwork from that employer.

Though the last correspondence was in 2010, I still keep the documents in the event the case enters the appeals process. By assigning a place for these documents, I know where to find them and can add more items if necessary.

This concludes the documents in Box 2 of my important documents. As you organize your paperwork and assign spaces for your documents, I hope this sample of my filing system points you in the right direction.

Our situations are different and thus our documents and policies will differ. However, knowing what items you have and assigning a space for each category is the key to organizing your paperwork. This journey is a marathon, and we are two-thirds of the way to the finish line. Keep going!

Question: What odd documents do you have in your stash that do not fit within the “normal” categories?

Show and Tell: File Box 1

June 19, 2011 by Tracy

Up until now, I have only explained my accordion filing system. Realizing that I have failed to show you my file, I apologize and deliver a show-and-tell session of Box 1 of my accordion filing system.

The closed accordion file box. When purchased, the file had a string to close it. But after sliding the box on and off the shelf with the string getting caught on the other files, the string broke. Since the file still functions properly and I like this system, I have kept the “broken” file box.

The opened accordion file box. This box, purchased inexpensively at Wal-mart, has 13 gaps or slots. I have not labeled each slot, but the categories are written on the tab inserts. For me, having each slot labeled would be a sea of clutter. I prefer to spend my time keeping the file simple by just notating the categories to guide me to the document needed.

Up-close look at the file tabs. In this file, I have used four tabs to identify the four categories. To make the tabs easy to read, I have placed them in a row from left to right. The four categories identified in this box are:

This concludes the pictorial tour of my accordion file box. Now as I explain where I have placed named documents, you will have a visual image of my document organization.

What about you? What filing system are you using? Was this post helpful to you? I welcome your feedback.

Tackling Piles of Important Documents

February 13, 2011 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Having a special place for all your personal documents, records, and policies will make accessing these items easy. When my husband and I were married over twelve years ago, I remember finding his box of paperwork. Yes, a Xerox copy paper box held a large stack of credit card statements, hospital birth record, payment records, and policies. When I found this box, I knew I had lots of work ahead of me.

After sorting all the items into piles of similar items, I then labeled file folders and placed each stack into its own folder. I then added his documents to the filing cabinet of documents I brought into our marriage. In surveying our documents, I discovered that there were lots of items missing from my husband’s personal records, but I did not know what was missing or where to begin finding an organized system.

About six years later, I found a system that worked for me: The Protection Portfolio by Suze Orman. This portfolio consisted of a dark green binder box with pockets for each category. She also included a book and CD. I love the checklists she included for each section to be sure all your important documents are safe and easily accessible.

I would highly recommend Miss Orman’s Protection Portfolio; however, I found the one box to be too small for all our documents. I also felt there were additional documents I needed to include. Therefore, my system consists of five accordion-style files.

Each Sunday, I will walk you through my files which I organized based on Suze Orman’s Protection Portfolio. Next Sunday, I will start with my first file and the first pocket: Credit Report and Credit Card Documents.