A Home Filing System That Actually Works
November 30, 2011, By Tom McNulty 0 comments
Some people are really into filing and accurate, efficient record-keeping. But I've always had a mental block against filing stuff. My younger sister is even worse, so it's probably genetic.
It should be easy to maintain a system in which everything goes into a specific folder inside a larger folder inside a filing cabinet so that you can quickly find documents, receipts and other records.
But that would make life easier, and who wants that? Bo-ring!
For some professions, like attorneys and accountants, keeping accurate, up-to-date files goes with the territory. I'm jealous. But I've been forced to learn filing skills simply because organizing (of which filing is a subset) is such an important part of housekeeping—from simple uncluttering (picking up dog toys, cups of cold coffee and half-read Tolstoy novels in the living room) to managing the mail and filing receipts.
Best Filing Tip
The coolest filing tip I have involves receipts. Of course, you can simply toss them all into a big box labeled with the year. You'll know exactly where everything is, but that's pretty Cro-Magnon. This advice kicks it up a notch for higher-end items.
When you buy, say, a snazzy new vacuum cleaner:
- Staple or clip together the receipt, instruction manual and warranty.
- File them in an A-to-Z accordion file—in this case under "V" for vacuum.
- Add maintenance records as you get them.
This way, you can easily locate vital information for any item if it needs to be returned or exchanged, repaired under warranty, or if you need to troubleshoot it yourself. Do this for all bigger-ticket items—like furniture or, say, that original Picasso.
The accordion file doesn't just cover the current year—it holds info for all your bigger-ticket items for as long as you own them. If you want to sell them later on eBay or Craig's List, you'll have a chance to impress potential buyers with your records.
NEXT: Other Documents
