In the last part of our series we’re going to talk about all that paper that comes in to our homes that you need to hold on to for a short period of time. Examples could be a bill that is due in 3 weeks, a detailed event flyer for next Saturday, or a form that you need to take with you to your doctor’s appointment at the end of the month. These are items where you could write a reminder on your calendar but you still need to save the piece of paper. What do you do with that piece of paper until you need it?
The system I’m going to share with you is not my original creation. This is a very simple filing system I learned while I was managing a bank many years ago. The personal bankers I worked with used this system to stay on track and not miss deadlines. It was an incredibly effective system for those who used it.
Setting Up Your System
You will need the following items:
- 32 file folders – Plain-Jane manila folders are perfect
- 32 hanging folders (optional, but recommended)
- 32 labels (optional)
- 1 plastic file tote or bankers box for storing your files
For this system you will need to create 32 different file folders. As you can see in the photo below, I keep my folders in a small, inexpensive file tote in my office because I’m super fancy.
Number your first 31 files with the numbers 1 through 31.
Each file corresponds to a day of the month. As an example, let’s say you have a doctor’s appointment on the 27th of this month, and they mailed you a form to fill out and bring with you to your appointment. Once you fill out the form you can drop it into the #27 file and you don’t have to look at it again until that day. On the 27th you go to your #27 file, pull out the form and take it with you to your appointment.
No more forgetting important details. No more lost forms. No more random pieces of paper floating around your home.
But what about that last file folder that we didn’t label? What is it for?
The last file can be labeled “Next Month” or whatever name makes sense to you. This folder is for anything that needs done next month or later. At the end of the current month, go through everything in that last file and place it in the appropriate date for the upcoming month. For example, this is a great place to stash those auto insurance cards that arrive 2 months before your old ones expire.
I have found this to be the easiest way to keep myself organized so I don’t miss deadlines and lose important papers.