If home office organization is the bane of your life, you’re going to love this mission! One of the main causes of a disorganized workspace is paper accumulation – which usually happens because the filing system is over-complicated or non-existent.

So in this Get Organized Mission we’re going to create a super-simple filing system – one that makes it easy to put papers away, and also gives you confidence that you’ll find things when you need them.

Remember – you only need 30 minutes for the basic mission. Extended Options are below. If you’re new, check out 52 Organizing Missions.

Get Organized Mission #9: Filing System Nirvana

Our filing system is going to have 5 macro-categories – overarching, top-level categories – as well as a number of sub-categories under each macro-category. The macro-categories are little team captains, each with their team of sub-category members.

Step 1: Create Visual Filing Cues

Your fist step is to decide how you want to separate your 5 macro-categories. This is an important step, because having easy visual cues will make filing and retrieval quick and easy.

I use hanging suspension files for macro-categories and file folders for sub categories. I also color-code my folders – so each folder in a particular macro-category has the same color – that way each ‘team’ stays together in their suspension file and with a team color to unite them.

Other ways to easily distinguish macro-categories and clearly identify your filing teams include:

• Inserting a colored divider between macro-categories
• Using larger labels or stronger lettering for macro-categories headings
• Using colored markers to create color-coded labels

The enemy of action is perfection, so I suggest you keep it simple for now and upgrade your system later if you want.

Step 2: Label

Your next step is to grab a pile of folders and start labeling.

Turn folders over or inside out if you don’t have fresh ones at hand. Use post-its if you don’t have labels. If you want to make a trip to OfficeMax later that’s fine, but right now we’ve got 30 minutes and we’re going to need them to set up the baseline version of your filing system up – so no distractions!

Home Organization

Here are the labels and hierarchy (macro- and sub-categories) I suggest for general home organization:

1. Home & Car
   • Property Documents
   • Insurance
   • Warranties
   • Car
2. Medical
   • Health
   • Insurance
   • Medical
3. Financial
   • Bank Accounts
   • Mortgage
   • Credit Cards
   • Investments
   • 401K/Superannuation
   • Personal Loans
4. Utilities
   • Electricity
   • Water
   • Gas
   • Internet
   • Phone
   • Cable
5. Family
   • Self
   • [Spouse: __________]
   • [Child 1: __________]
   • [Child 2: __________]
   • [Child 3: __________], etc

Note for Design Your Life Members:

You have a

• filing-system worksheet containing this hierarchy, plus room for extra sub-categories [Filing Categories Index (Suggested)]
• blank filing-system worksheet for creating your own hierarchy from scratch [Filing Categories Index].

Both are in the Family & Time Management category of your Library of Resources.

You have a blank filing-system worksheet for creating your own hierarchy from scratch [Organizing Document Files] in the Technology & Social Media category.

Home-Based Business

Here are the labels and hierarchy I suggest for a home-based business:

1. Admin
   • Marketing
   • Accounting
   • Legal
2. Current Projects
   • Project A: ____________
   • Project B: ____________
   • Project C: ____________, etc
3. Pending (Waiting on someone else)
4. Personal (Business-related personal items)
5. Archive (Keeping for reference)

And there you have your simple, easy-to-file, easy-to-find filing system!

Initially, it might take a little while to get your papers into their new homes. But from then, you’ll find it a breeze to keep your filing up-to-date.

Dos & Don’ts

• Don’t add a ‘miscellaneous’ category. This isn’t (only) because the word is hard to spell. It’s also because it’s too easy to throw things into a general category – and that makes retrieval difficult. It becomes a default lack-of filing system.
• Do stick to as few categories as possible – it keeps filing and retrieving simple.
• Do customize the hierarchy – add, subtract or change the macro- and sub-categories to make them work for you. But keep the descriptions short and clear.

Extended Organizing Mission Options

Want to go beyond this 30-minute organizing mission?

• Make your system pretty – with color-coded folders, attractive labels, the works!
• Ask your kids what they’d like to keep in their file, and start them on the habit of filing important papers they want to keep.
• Take the opportunity to detox your filing cabinet – shred or recycle any paperwork you no longer need.

Ready, Set, Go!

Remember – move quickly, act fast, don’t overthink.

Before You Go – Please Check In

You’re now accountable to your organizing mission-mates! Once you’ve completed this week’s Get Organized Mission please add a comment to let us know you’ve done your assignment and you’re keeping your commitment. (Click ‘Comment’ at the very top of this post or scroll down to the bottom. Depending on how you’re viewing this post, one of those options will be available for you.)

And see you back here next week!

UPDATE:

You can now get your weekly organizing mission delivered to your inbox.
Click here to sign up for 52 Organizing Missions.

Image by Kasaa

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Related posts:

1. Organize Your Computer in 7 Simple Steps [Mission #18]
2. Get Organized Mission #14: Organize Your Household Notebook
3. Get Organized Mission #12: Organize Your Accounts & Credit Cards