Beyond Folders : workplace organization, filing tips, desktops

Simple Tricks for the Filing Newbie

Community Manager — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 16:45:00 GMT

Some people are organized by nature. You know them by their alphabetized spice racks, perfectly antiseptic medicine cabinets and tabula rasa workspaces. Others are not. But we believe that a little nurture can overcome nature so if organization isn't in your DNA, we're here to help.

Last week we covered Filing 101, offering a primer on the anatomy of a filing cabinet and a handy cheat sheet on what paperwork to save or toss. If you spent time with those posts, and implemented any of our recommendations, you're off to a great start for an organized 2011.

Now it's time for some tricks of the trade, those little "I-never-would-have-thought-of-that" tips that will help move you along the path from filing newbie to seasoned pro.

Making the Most of Manila Folders: What home isn't inundated with bills, receipts, kids' art work, and disparate to-lists? Consider using a few clearly labeled manila folders on a bulletin board or the inside of a kitchen cabinet to triage and sort paperwork before it disappears into the dreaded stack (aka unwieldy pile). Über-organizing blog the Unclutterer has a helpful post on putting manila folders to work: Creating a Home Paper Management System.

Portable File Totes: Digital nomads, freelancers visiting clients, or on-the-go parents may want to avail themselves of a portable filing tote. Portable totes double as a "briefcase" and make organizing while on the move a breeze. Organizing blog Ready, Aim, Organize has a helpful post on the pros of portable totes (note: while they recommend a specific brand there are numerous totes on the market which can easily be found with a Google search).

Crack the Color Code: LA lifestyle blog Cupcakes & Cashmere trains its aesthetic sensibility on home office files. Read the post Office Etiquette for details on synching an attractive streamlined desktop holder with a more comprehensive system in your filing cabinet. As a bonus: the system is color-coordinated, providing a vibrant example of form meeting function.

Get to Know Your Label Maker: Filing newbies may believe that label makers are the province of the professional organizer. Not so! Anyone can, and should, add a label maker to their organizational arsenal. For inspiration, read 10 Great Uses for Label Makers for more on making this handy tool.

Be Boy Scout Ready: Steal a playbook from the Boy Scouts and "be prepared." When a health or weather disaster strikes, it's no time to be scrambling for insurance documents, etc. Prepare a file of emergency documents before adversity strikes. For more on getting ready for an emergency, read Preparing for the Unexpected.

Do you have any filing tips or tricks? What little step or tool makes your filing easier? Share your thoughts here and at the Pendaflex Facebook page.

by Carly Fadako

Anatomy of a Filing Cabinet

Community Manager — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 16:35:00 GMT

What's that you say? You want to file, but don't know where to begin? We have a comprehensive overview of what a well-executed filing system looks like to get you started.

The hallmark of an effective filing system is being able to easily retrieve what you need, when you need it. Filing systems generally fall into two broad categories: 1) working (or temporary) files and permanent (archival) files.

Temporary folders, which can reside either in a desktop file system, or in a nearby filing cabinet, include documents frequently in use such as:

Action items requiring immediate or regular decisions
Project items related to current tasks
Reading items intended for immediate consumption

Permanent files should be kept separate from working files, either in a separate filing cabinet or in archival cardboard boxes in storage. When a project is finished, or a document is complete and no longer needed (i.e. old taxes), it's time for permanent storage.

Keep in mind that not all completed projects or documents need to be saved indefinitely, so assess what you have, purge what's not needed and set up a retention schedule for documents you do keep, specifying how long each file should be stored.

Maintain the retention schedule separately from the archived files and synch it to your computer or paper calendar for a year-to-year review. Purging archival files after they've outlived their usefulness keeps your paperwork from growing into a mountain.

Love Your Labels

Good filing systems make effective use of labels. Be sure to use broad, generic headings that are meaningful to you and comprehensible to others if the filing system is shared. Think thick, not thin: files shouldn't be subdivided to the point where it's difficult to keep track of categories, (i.e. design your files to capture about two-inches of material, rather than say, two sheets of paper). Consider color coding your files if doing so makes sense to you.

The Art of Arrangement

Before labeling your files, decide on your organization strategy. Design your system, with headings and subheadings on paper, before you beginning labeling. Choices include:

Alphabetically: great for client or customer name files.
Subject: a good choice if you're using subfolders.
Numerically: excellent for dated material, such as purchase orders and bills.
Chronologically: a good solution for back-up files that need to be set up by month.
Tickler files: great for very detailed tasks, such as tracking bills, correspondence and reading materials. Set up tickler files by the day, month, and/or year.

To Cabinet or Not?

Not all filing systems need to be kept in a cabinet. Consider using a desk-top holder or wall file similar to a magazine rack to keep daily or to-do files close at hand. One idea is to keep a desk-top folder with files that contain all the general categories in your larger filing cabinet, so you can keep documents at your finger tips before moving them into their corresponding category at the ends of each week or month.

Not every item is easily filed so consider using boxes or bags to store unwieldy or oversized items. Cardboard or metal boxes can capture magazines or fabric samples, and keep tubes handy if you often need to store maps, prints or other oversized documents.

Finally, make it easy to add new files to your system. Keep labels and files on hand so you can quickly add a new file rather than starting a new pile!

How does your filing system work? If you make clever use of color-coding or unorthodox filing set-ups, please share your thoughts or photos with us here by leaving a comment!

by Carly Fadako

Pile in Style

Community Manager — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:27:00 GMT

New Year's resolutions are right around the corner. Hoping for a clean slate in 2011? After the confetti's cleaned up, it's time to tackle those piles.

Fear not, we have no intention of trying to convert you into a label-conscious filer. We know that for every individual who happily labels and files paperwork, there is a counterpart who just as happily piles that paperwork onto a desk. Instead, we want to suggest tips and techniques to bring a little style to your pile.

Every Pile Sometimes Needs a Circular-File: Give every pile in your office an end-of-the-year review. Toss or shred what is no longer needed. If the pile represents a completed project, move the pile to an archival box for storage.

Upgrade Those Piles: Sort piles into organizer trays, bins or stylish boxes. Use thick binder clips or reusable, write-on clips to group like documents.

Prioritize a Pile: Make a "do-today" pile and keep only documents in it that you need for the day. Find a colorful letter holder or attractive, eye-catching tray and check this pile every morning, weeding out documents not needed for the day. The tray should serve as the day's visual to-do list; don't let it fill with clutter.

Corralling Mountains: Sometimes a pile just becomes too big. When a pile threatens to slide over and engulf all that's in its way, it's time for 1) an assessment to make sure all the papers are still needed and 2) a large bin or box.

Pilers, we want to hear from you. How to you keep your stacks manageable? What tricks do you use to keep order among your piles? Share your thoughts here by leaving us a comment!

by Carly Fadako

Happiness is a Clutter Free Desk

Community Manager — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:26:00 GMT

To pile or to file? An age old question with no right answer. In our recent Pile it On! post we offered tips for the nearly half of all American employees who organize paper by piling.

But what of the other half? The 50 percent who need a clean desk and carefully filed papers to achieve maximum productivity and serenity?

You know who you are. You know your way around an accordion folder and can conjure up your tax returns from 1987 or last month's quarterly report within moments. You own a label maker. You are a filer. And you're good at it! But could you be better?

Recent Convert

If you're relatively new to the organization game or if you're filer/piler hybrid seeking to quit piling tendencies, we've assembled some useful resources for quick and simple filing strategies. See how your system stacks up.

Filing Maven

You have your strategy down. Color coding and categorizing is second nature. You find filing fun and organizing cathartic. You are not alone!

The blogosphere is full of talented and informative organizing mavens. Tap into their wisdom and consider sharing your own. We've compiled a short list of some of the best of the breed organizing blogs:

Clean desk devotees, as you maintain your filing systems, keeping clutter successfully at bay, remember the words of humorist Robert Orben, "Happiness is a very small desk and a very big wastebasket."

Do you have special tips for keeping your desk clutter free? Is there a blog that you follow for organizing advice? Share your thoughts here and on the Beyond Folders Community's Facebook and Twitter pages.

by Carly Fadako

Pile It On!

Community Manager — Tue, 11 May 2010 12:50:00 GMT

You know who you are.

Piler v. Filer

Just look around your office. On your desk. On the floor. On top of the filing cabinet.

What do you see?

Piles, piles and more piles.

Yes, it is as clear as can be. You, my friend, are a piler.

And you are not alone.

Nearly half of all American employees claim that they organize paper by piling it on their desk. As this Fast Company article on Piles Versus Files highlights, "[s]ome of the world's most productive people are pilers. Al Gore, for example, is a busy guy, with mounds of paper to prove it. [And] many creative workers stay productive by keeping their virtual piles spread out and easy to glance at on multiple screens." One executive is so committed to "managing through piles" that she had an industrial designer build a desk "that acknowledges her stacking habit, yet gives it shape and structure."

There is good evidence that nature, as opposed to nurture, drives people to pile. Typically, pilers are right-brain dominant, creative types who are visually oriented. They crave stimulation and thrive in environments where there is a lot going on. To them, forming and sorting through piles is soothing and constructive. By sharp contrast, filers crave order, ease and calm. To maintain their equilibrium at work, they methodically categorize, label, purge and store papers. They need to organize and clear their workspace before they can begin to focus.

Although they might appear to be swimming in a sea of chaos, pilers usually know exactly where to find what they need at any given moment. But, if your piles seem to be getting the better of you, this WomensMedia post offers some helpful tips:

When you have stacks of paper and files for various projects and purposes, create a spine by wrapping a large piece of paper around each group and labeling it.
Use a clipboard to control loose papers for each project you are working on. Label the clips and hang the clipboards on your office wall or partition.
Set boundaries on your piles by restricting them to a single table or desk top. When a pile starts to spill over, it is time to go through it to streamline and straighten up the papers.
Put your papers in open boxes and mark the outside with a numbering system so you can easily identify the contents.

If you are still on the fence about your identity, you can take a filer vs. piler quiz. If you are a proud piler and you know it, we would love to hear from you. You can share your piling tips and tools here and on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

by Carly Fadako