Quick Tip...think broader

I am currently working with a client to reorganize their home office files.  They have a very busy and active life with several kids, a home business, pets and multiple homes.  Their "paper" life is quite full.

Just to make things interesting, I am actually working with them to re-do a filing system installed a couple of years ago by a different professional organizer.  Yes, this sometimes happens.  The filing system the organizer installed has turned out to be too complicated for the owners to keep up.  Too many files, too many headings, too much color coding - just too much.

So, in order to avoid the 1000 folders syndrome,  I am encouraging everyone to think in broader categories when filing.  Here's how it works...

First, divide your papers into its broadest categories, i.e., Pets, Banking, Insurance.

Then look at each of these groups of papers and decide how important it is to create a sub-pile, so if your major heading is Pets, do you really need to separate the papers by "Fluffy the cat" and "Rover the dog" - if you feel you need to, then create ONE folder for each animal - "Fluffy" and "Rover".  File all the papers for each animal in the appropriate folder and drop the folder into the PETS hanging file.

It is not necessary to create any other folders for these animals.  If you start making folders for "Fluffy - microchip", "Fluffy - insurance", "Fluffy - license", "Fluffy - grooming", "Fluffy - boarding", then you've just created too much filing detail.  A piece of paper will always show up that doesn't fall into any category you've created and you are forced to add another folder to the file just to cover that one piece of paper - when the broader category of Pets, simply holds everything that pertains to the pets.

The more folders you create, the more sub-categories you make, the more complicated filing becomes and the less likely you are to do it.

Quick Tip... keep it close

Okay, so you cleaned out and organized your files.  You put the archived files in storage boxes and popped them into your neat and organized storage area.  Now what do you do with the files that are current/active?

Remember that your most valuable real estate is that which is at your eye level.  What you don't have to get a ladder to reach and what you don't have to bend over to get to.  It's everything in the middle.

So, keep those files that you access the most in the drawer of the file cabinet that is most easy for you to get to.  Keep files that pending on your desk in a vertical file sorter.  How easy is that!

This vertical holder is from See Jane Work.

This acrylic holder is from The Container Store

Quick Tip... filing

Paper filing can be very confusing. Often we just don't know if we have to save something or not, so we end up putting it into a file and then, more often than not, we never look at it again.

As a professional organizer,I recommend keeping filing as simple as possible.  Files have only 2 categories for me, they are either Current/Active or Historical/Archived.

Current/Active files are those kept closest to you, on hand and available for your quick retrieval.  Historical/Archived are files in storage or furthest away from you.  You are keeping this material because you are required to by law or because it is of value to your family.

Do one thing...cleaning out files

At the beginning of each new year, I dedicate time to organize my home and office by clearing out the old, wherever I find it.  I am going to invite you along on this journey and encourage you to join me by working on the the same areas in your house.

The first post of each month this year will be called Do One Thing and I'll choose a different area to concentrate on.  We'll have one full month to work on that area.  Please keep me posted on your progress...

This month, we'll clear out and organize our files.  If this sounds like a big job, then just choose specific files or one drawer of file. Just do one thing for this month.

Admittedly, my files are not too cluttered.  But even I find that after a year of going in and out of drawers and searching for papers, the filing drawer needs some attention.

Supplies that may be needed:  hanging files, file folders, labels, an electronic labeler, stapler, storage boxes for archiving files and a shredder.

I start by pulling out one file at a time and going through it.  Note that I do not keep both a file folder and a hanging file for each subject.  I just use the hanging file to hold all my papers.  If a file has one or more division, I add file folders.  For example, I have 2 cats, so in my Cats hanging file, I have a dedicated folder for each of them.

Then a go about determining which papers within the file I need to keep on hand for the next year and which papers I can shred or archive.

My archive boxes represent things that I must keep by law, for taxes or because they have historical value to me.  My archive boxes are kept in my storage area.  Each archive box has a destroy date or SAVE label.   If you have a large amount of files to archive, numbering each box and keeping a record of what is in each archive box is a good idea.

As a professional organizer, I get asked all the time how long papers must be kept.  First, check with your tax professional.  You can also visit these sites: IRS , Consumer Reports .  Other records, like vital documents (birth certificates, etc.) should be kept forever.  Remember that if you own property, you want to keep improvements records until you sell the property.

You've a whole month, do as much as you can and try and have fun with it!

Time to...

This is my favorite 2 weeks of the entire year, the week before Christmas and the week before New Years.  A good time to hope that humans come to their senses, lay down their weapons and try to get a long... A good time to look back, and to plan for the future.  That's what I intend to do.  Along with some dear friends, and the best food I can find.

I wish you all much joy and happiness.

A beautiful kitchen unpacked...

Last week we unpacked and organized this beautifully remodeled kitchen...

Mom and baby enjoying the activity of moving...

Within hours, everything is in it's place...

And the kitchen is ready to go...

Shouldn't all moves go this smoothly?  Here are some tips from a professional organizer on unpacking a kitchen...

1.  Decide in advance where in the kitchen your items should go... keep dishes and glassware near the dishwasher.

2.  Unpack the items that are easiest to put away first.  Generally, that dishes and glassware.

3.  Try not to have "too many cooks" in the kitchen at the same time madly unpacking boxes and shoving things into drawers and cabinets.

4.  Keep items you use most often closer at hand.  

5.  Remove packing paper and boxes from the area as soon as you unpack each box.  Keeping the area tidy will make it feel more in control.  

6.  Be sure and smooth out all packing paper so you are sure you didn't accidentally miss something from a box.  

Donating your stuff...

Which of these items would you donate to charity?

The second hand and the alarm on the clock are broken.

The blue vase is fine.

The amber vase is chipped in two places.

Some of the candles are wrapped and some are not, some are faded.

The white tablecloth is stained in several places.

The bird nest has broken pieces missing.

The cat's collar is faded.

The cat game is unopened.

The knit pouch is fine.

The greeting cards are a variety of left over cards, most without envelopes.  

These items were all in a donation box... remember, if you donate items that the charity has to pay to discard, you are not doing them any favors.