Your goal is to open the file drawer, find your file immediately with the files moving smoothly back and forth. To achieve this file system, first, you really need to have a file cabinet where the drawers are easy to open and close. Look at your situation and see if you need to update the cabinet and/or get the frame that the hanging files will hang on. It is not efficient to have folders just leaning on one another in the drawer. 

It’s true that you can have as many colors of folders and hanging files as you want, but for ease on the eyes and because it makes your file system visibly neat and organized, we suggest the green hanging files and then one color of file folders. 

If you'd rather purchase a filing system that is easily maintained, we recommend the Freedom Filer:

Follow this and you will be in control of your papers instead of your papers being in control of you!

You will need the following supplies:

• Pendaflex hanging folders with tabs
• Pendaflex Reinforced 2-ply tab interior file folders, 1/3 cut
• Avery #5029 Clear Filing Labels (for those with a computer)
• File folder paper labels (for those without a computer)

First, pile all your loose papers in one stack and then sort them by the following list. Everyone is different and will vary from this list somewhat. Use sticky notes with title in front of each pile. While sorting, put papers of previous years in ‘yearly’ stacks such as 2010, 2009, 2008, etc. (These will be stored elsewhere.)

IMPORTANT NOTE: You’ll only want to file papers from the current year. If it is an important paper such as a policy or any paper you want to keep in your current files, do so.

Major Sorting Categories

Monthly files (January - December) for all usual monthly bills (credit cards, utilities, cable)

Car/Vehicles
Banking
Employment (contracts, social security records, retirement plans)
Credit Cards
Health/Medical Records
Home (decorating, utility bills, pest control, alarm system)
Income Tax/Donations
Investments
Life Insurance
Loans
Pets
Receipts 
Birth/Death Certificates
Adoption/Citizenship/Marriage/Divorce
Family History 
Wills

Now that all the papers are in separate stacks by category, take each and break it down as your personal papers dictate. Write a list of file folders you will place within each hanging folder. Use generic terms such as car, phone, electric because people tend to change these items frequently.

Sample List of File Folders Needed

Cars/Vehicles

• Bob’s Car
• Jane’s Car

Banking

• Safe Deposit Box
• Trust 

Employment

• Contracts
• Retirement Plans
• Social Security

Credit Cards

• Just keep the paper card arrived on so you'll have the cc number

Health/Medical Records

• Dental
• Medical
• Shot Records
• Vision

Home

• Alarm
• Decorating
• Pest Control
• Repairs

Income Tax / Donations

• Current Year (all other year files should be filed in another drawer)

Investments

• Bonds
• Pension
• Real Estate
• Stocks

Life Insurance

• Policies

Loans
Pets

Receipts to Keep Awhile

• Only keep those necessary to return something if broken

Birth/Death Certificates
Adoption/Citizenship/Marriage/Divorce
Family History
Wills

Make labels for the hanging folders on your computer (or hand write on paper labels). Then make the labels for the file folders. Place papers in folders and start filing alphabetically. You’ll probably want to store the previous year’s files in a plastic bin. We suggest you only save the previous 6 years, but check with your accountant. Each year you purge your files in January, you will place it in the tub and take out the one on the bottom. Now, you've created a simple file system for your home.

If this sounds like too much fun for yourself, contact us to help you get your home office organized.

contact@SunflowerStrategies.com

or 281-455-9712

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