What's your filing system - (part 2) Organizing your office

Filing is just a part of having a home and being grown up.  It's not just something you do AT an office job. It's crucial to keep important paperwork for your home, cars, appliances, and more!  It's important to keep that stuff organized and easily accessible.  I absolutely HATE filing...hate it!  But, it's necessary and it's important.  I also know that when hubby says "I need last year's tax return, please go get it?" or "I need the manual for the vacuum so I can fix it" -- that I can now confidently say I can find those!

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You definitely need a file drawer OR a separate filing cabinet.  Make sure to have plenty of file folders on hands as well as hanging files to put tabs.   

 Does your file cabinet look like this? {via}

Below, are my files in my filing cabinet...many are recycled over and over.  So, most are labeled with my label maker, but when I'm in a hurry, I just write them in marker.

 My bottom drawer I have divided into manuals (including anything we purchase for our home like lawnmowers, appliances, etc.) and I also included automobile information (including oil changes, major work done on cars, any important paperwork for each car).  Lastly, I have put my kids school report cards and my son's IEP (individualized education plan - an annual meeting to review the year's performance and plan to help him improve the next year.).  Then, I have hanging files labeled A-Z.  I simply placed a file folder inside each of the hanging files with the first name of the manual (vacuum cleaner under V, etc.). 

If you are determined to get your files in order, decide on a few things.  

- You MUST keep the last seven years' worth of income taxes so anything older, throw out (well, shred would be best).  

-  If you own a home, make a section for each of your home's major papers (i.e., insurance, mortgage, deeds, major work done to your house, etc.).  If you sell your house, you have all this information to give to the new owner.

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- If you are a car owner, make a section for each of your cars with the title, oil changes, any major work you've had done (keep insurance in a separate folder).  This way, if you sell your car, you have a complete folder of everything that happened with that car to the new owner.

-  If your kids are in school, you homeschool, or have a special needs child, make a file to sort through the report cards or IEPs or other things for each kid. (I don't recommend putting birth certificates or social security in a file drawer - instead, file in a security lock box in a safe place).   

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-   Another file section can include the miscellaneous areas with A-Z separated in sections.  This can include anything else around your house that you just think you should keep!


That's it, really!  It's not rocket science. It's simple and I hope to motivate you to get your files in order!  Get to work!


Part 1 of organizing your office




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