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Question:
My
filing cabinets are over-flowing! I want to buy another cabinet, but I'm running out of space in my office. Should I squeeze another cabinet in there anyway?
It is GOOD that you're running out of space, because your space limitations will help you to more effectively manage your documents.
You don't need another filing cabinet ... you just need to clear out and organize!
Here are some tips:
 | It is a known fact that 85% of what is filed away is never retrieved. So ... the first step in minimizing your files is to do just that; minimize what has been filed
away! Go through each file and determine what you REALLY need to keep and what is unnecessary or outdated. Place unneeded documents in your recycle bin. |
| If your files include financial, legal, or other dated information from previous years, pull each year's documents and file them away, by year, in individual storage
boxes. These boxes can be purchased at your local office supplier at a very low cost. Be sure to mark each box with the year and contents of the box for easy future
retrieval. I personally keep my storage boxes in the garage so they don't clutter my office. |
| Always file "annual" information in a separate file from "permanent" information. For example, my checking account statements are in one file, while
information about my bank is in another. By adopting this filing system, you will never have to separate dated information from on-going information before archiving
previous year documents. It will be a simple matter of placing the prior year documents in a storage box, marking the box with its date and contents, and putting it away. |
If you faithfully utilize this filing system, you should never have to buy another filing cabinet.
The "EffEx Tip" of the Month:
To make your filing system even easier, forgo trying to make it perfect. Hand-write the file name right on the file folder in a bright colored pen instead of typing labels
or creating them on your computer. Sure, I'd love to have perfect looking files too, but it is not worth the time required to prepare them.
Buy "third cut" (3 tab) file folders and use each tab position for different sections of the alphabet. I have the following on a post-it note next to my desk,
and when creating a new file, I choose the cut or tab of the folder by utilizing the following template:
1st cut .... .... 2nd cut ........
3rd cut
(left tab) .. (middle tab)...
(right tab)
ABC ...............DEF................GHI
JKL .................MNO...............PQR
STU ................VWX................YZ
You will be surprised at how much easier it is to find files when they are alphabetically separated.
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