3 Ways To Organize Paperwork

Let’s Talk Basics

Before diving into our favorite products to get your paperwork sorted, let’s start with how to organize your papers so you can apply this system to whichever solution works best for your space. Begin by gathering all paperwork from around the house or office- yes, everywhere- and bring it to a dedicated workspace with a large flat surface like a table, counter, or even the floor! Choose a low-traffic area so you won’t need to relocate midway through, and have trash, recycling, and shred bags nearby along with post-its and a sharpie for labeling categories. Start with any active workspace, like your desktop, noticing what papers land there and why, then work through each pile one paper at a time deciding whether it’s a keep or toss.

For papers you keep, create clear umbrella categories for hanging files and subcategories within them for the manila folders. For example, an umbrella like “Personal” might include folders for “Medical”, “Home”, and “Car” for someone with just a few papers to keep. If you find you have more papers, your umbrella category might be “Medical,” and subcategories could be “Records”, “Dental”, and “Insurance”. This structure will make it much easier to maintain your system once everything is filed away!

File Drawers

File drawers are an ideal solution for storing a large number of documents while keeping them neatly contained in one place. It allows you to keep many documents organized while containing them in one central place. To make it easy to maintain, dedicate each drawer to a specific category or person: for example, one drawer for personal documents and another for business records. In a family household, you might also assign a drawer to different family members, such as parents, children, or even pets!

File Boxes

Need file storage but don’t have room for a full filing cabinet and craving a more elevated look? File boxes are an excellent solution for storing files on open shelving or inside a cabinet. Available in a wide range of colors, sizes, and finishes, they make it easy (& stylish!) to store documents while blending seamlessly with you space. Lidded file boxes are especially helpful for keeping paperwork protected in more public areas of the home or when displayed on open shelving. Plus, they are built to hold hanging file folders just like a filing cabinet so you can maintain your organized system with ease.

Portable File Storage

If you need our files to move with you, a portable file tote is a great option! Slim, lightweight, and easy to carry, these boxes make it simple to transport important documents from home to work, or from meeting to meeting. Despite its compact size, this portable file tote is designed to hold a good amount of hanging file folders so you can keep everything neatly organized. It’s an especially good solution for anyone with a smaller amount of files that are fine to be tucked away in a cabinet or closet.

Paperwork can feel really overwhelming, and if you need some extra support, Horderly is happy to help!. Reach out to find out more about our In-Home and Virtual services that can help transform your office.

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