Organizing Paper into Files with P.E.A.C.E.

Is organizing paper into files a challenge for you?

Does it take longer than 3 minutes to find what you are looking for?

Are the piles of paper driving you crazy?

Do you have too much paper in your life?

Paper is one of the biggest challenges I see whether it is at home or at the office. So, following the P.E.A.C.E plan you will be able to reclaim your sanity for current and future paper in your life.

How does that sound?

P=Permission

Did you know 80% of the paper you keep you will never refer to again? That is a lot of time, space, and money you are putting into that amount of paper. This is a crucial step in organizing your paper into files. The less paper you have, the faster and easier it will be.

So, you officially have permission to let go!

How does that feel? A little scary?

That’s okay, because I am going to ask you to begin with the easy stuff.

Begin with the outdated coupons, past events, receipts, warranties, recipes, and articles. Make sure you have your recycle bin and shredder handy. Trust me, you will need them.

Here is another easy place to start...the bottom of your piles! Go ahead and turn a pile upside down and see how fast and easy these decisions are.

E=Evaluate

Now that you let go of the most obvious papers, you are probably still surrounded with ones that you are not sure about.

Let's dive a little deeper.

The #1 question I get is "How long do I have to keep this?" If you are like most people you keep everything just to be on the safe side. This is the 80% you will NEVER refer to again!

Starting today, begin asking yourself the right questions. With better questions comes easier decisions and ultimately less paper. Evaluate ALL the paper such as bank statements, recipes, articles, utility bills. Take this time to truly be honest with your self.

Can this information be found somewhere else?
Is this a duplicate?
Have I needed this information before?
Why am I keeping this in the first place?
Am I required to keep this? If so, how long?
What next action is needed?

Remember the shredder and recycle bin I recommended above? They are going to be important tools here! Make sure you have a decent shredder that will handle more than 8 pieces of paper at a time. You won't regret it.

Now you will only spend time organizing paper into files that really matter.

A=Act on it

Your piles of paper probably exist because something needs to be done with individual pieces--sign, read, pay, call, research, follow-up, errand, etc.

Am I right?

The best solution is if it takes less than 2 minutes, just do it.

If it is going to require more time and energy, go ahead and jot down the info onto your calendar or to-do list and recycle the piece of paper. The paper no longer needs to serve as your reminder. (extra permission to let go!)

More help for organizing paper into action files ...

Create a Mail Center--Real simple tips to get a grip on the daily mail in your life. Say good-bye to piles, missing bills, and junk disguised as mail and become your own mail organizer!

Action Files--A tickler system is a must if you have piles of paper in your life. You will finally be able to find what you need WHEN you need it.

Organize Bills--Can't find your bills? This is a stressful experience, but it doesn't have to be. Create a simple bill organizer that will work for you monthly and save you late fees and reduce stress!

C=Contain

Now that you have at least 80% of the paper out of your life, let's focus on the 20% for easy access! If it takes more than 3 minutes to find what you are looking for, your current system is not set up correctly.

Organizing paper into files with your own system.

The best question to ask yourself when filing or creating a home for your paper is this:

Where will I find it?

Do you see how this is more powerful than the more common "Where should I put it?"

If you would look for your car info under "Prius" instead of "Automobile" then by all means label it that way.

It will also help if you think in terms of categories for your paper. Examples would be, financial, health, hobbies, owner-manuals, utilities, etc.

I am also a BIG fan of straight-tab labeling. This is where you create a row of tabs instead of going diagonal like most filing techniques suggest. Here is an example of what I am talking about.

straight tab example

And I absolutely LOVE the filing products from M.O. Inc. So check them out!

Organizing paper into files with label kits.

There are tons of pre-made filing systems out there, but the label kit from FreedomFiler is the one I recommend. It allows for a lot of flexibility and is self-purging! You read that right...self-purging! It comes with a great explanation of how and why it works. Check them out!

Organizing paper into files for safe keeping

Some documents are too valuable to stash in a filing cabinet or kitchen drawer. They belong in a home safe or a bank safe deposit box.

Among them are:

Birth certificates.
Citizenship papers and passports.
Deeds to property; mortgage notes.
Marriage licenses and divorce decrees.
Military discharge records.
Social Security cards.
Stock certificates, if your broker doesn't keep them for you.
Automobile titles.
Photo copy every card in your wallet and write the phone number of who to contact if your wallet is lost or stolen.

Because some states restrict access to safe deposit boxes when the owner dies, these should NOT be stored in a safe deposit box:

Wills and trusts.
Powers of attorney.

E=Electronic Solutions

For those of you who are not techno-saavy, try to keep an open mind and heart as we explore these options.

Deal?

I know the most obvious is create a paper-less office by organizing your paper files electronically. However, there are even more ways you can take advantage of technology to help with paper issues.

Receive electronic bank statements and utility bills.
Online banking and bill paying.
Software for calendars with alarms and to-do lists.
Sofware for finances such as Quicken.
Online services to stop junk mail from entering your life.
Ability to search for documents by name, date opened, date modified, type, etc.
Allows for the same document to be stored in more than one file for projects etc.
Keep all you password and log-in information with Splash ID on your PDA or desktop computer.
Store important documents on a secured online server.
Ability to listen to audio books instead of paper books with Audible.com.
Stay connected with friends and family without storing a ton of greeting cards or stationary. Send a free printable greeting card on me!
Organize and enjoy photos with less effort.

Now, with all those wondeful solutions, it is important to stay aware of the challenges technology has also created.

False sense of "unlimited space."
Cleaning out old files in the computer is not as rewarding because it doesn't really change your environment.
Saving files becomes too easy.
Increases the print volume by at least 40% --ugh...more paper to deal with!
Overwhelming amount of info at our finger tips with the internet and e-mail.

So, just keep those in mind when you are thinking of printing that e-mail, e-book, or other forms from the computer. Or when you are saving a document. Ask yourself the same questions when evaluating that file as you would paper.