For geeky, Super-Type-A people like me, setting up a filing system is actually fun. I know, you all want to throw up, but seriously, I like to get organized. However, I realize that many people find stuff like this to be the worst kind of drudgery, so we’ll take it slow, and make it as fun as possible, I promise.
My house is less than 1400 square feet on the ground floor. Though we have a finished basement, I didn’t want my “office” down there, because it would be too inconvenient to drag the kids downstairs with me every time I needed to answer an e-mail or pay a bill. So, we made room for my computer in the kitchen, cleared out a drawer for office supplies, and set up a small, portable filing system. My system is just a plastic file box with a lid, and a lip around the inside edge for hanging files (see above photo). I purchased it at Wal-Mart, and it’s perfect for my limited space. It’s convenient and portable, and when it’s not in use, I just snap the lid on and store it in my utility closet. For long-term storage of things like tax returns, we have a metal filing cabinet in the basement.
The very first folder in my filing system, right in the front, is my bills folder. I keep this folder and my working files in the front, because I refer to them most often. The rest of my files are organized alphabetically. In my Getting Control of Your Bills post, I wrote about the importance of designating a place for your bills to go. This could be as simple as a manila folder, or a plastic in-tray. I prefer to keep my bills in a hanging folder, organized by due date.
The hanging folder has a typewritten “Bills” label, and inside, there are 4 manila folders. Each folder is labeled:
Due 1st thru 7th
Due 8th thru 15th
Due 16th thru 23rd
Due 24th thru 31st
When I get bills in the mail, I open them immediately, toss any extraneous junk in the recycling bin, and file the bills in the appropriate folders according to due date. When I pay bills every Thursday, I can easily find the ones that need to be paid, according to my payment calendar.
I want to stress that before you begin setting up a filing system, you should first develop a system for dealing with your daily mail. Read my Getting Control of Your Bills, and Coping with Paper Clutter posts for more information.
Tomorrow we’ll set up our “Working Files.” I know, you can’t wait!
