Did you start off the year with a bang?
Four months into the year and where do you stand on your new year's resolutions?
How about that filing system of yours? Have you done anything about it? Do not
put it off for another month. All the hope and energy that you came into the New
Year with is just what you need to get your filing system organised this month! Avoid last year's issues of clutter and
confusion during tax preparation by simply organising your filing system now. This is one
resolution that can easily be achieved. An organised filing system saves time
and energy that you could put toward some of your other resolutions.
From expired gift vouchers to important
bills, paper is piling up. Dive into the sea of papers before it swallows you
up! Start with your mail. Open all of your mail, everyday, preferably next
to the shredder and the recycling bin. Make immediate decisions. Take the mail that you are keeping and separate
it into personal and work piles. Then deal with what you can right then. Sample main categories are: - To Action
- To Pay
- To File
- To Read
- To RSVP
Go through your to action file every day or
two and complete some of it. This is the number one problem for most people, getting those action items done...you need to schedule them and commit to doing them.
Create major
categories for your filing system and then set sub-folder categories within
them. The main point is to take the
time to plan your filing system according to how you think and the way you
work. Set up your Accounting files. Keep it simple! Use the hanging
file tabs for main categories. It will help if you file by tax year (Calendar
for American or financial year for Australia). Detail the label of the manilla file
with the year. This makes it easy to shred the oldest year's worth of paper each
year.
Once
you set up the system, maintenance is key and really the only working option. At the end of the day clean off your desk and file your papers
before leaving the office. This will make a big difference tomorrow when you walk into a clear office and desk.
For any other questions on how to get started
on organising your filing system, or on how to keep it tidy, please reply to A
Little Elf. | 
