There’s no one best filing system. The best system for you will depend on what kinds of documents you file and how you will think to search for them. Design your own system as you discover what works best for you. And what works best may be a combination of systems. Here are some ideas to get you thinking.
Don’t make filing unpleasant
Some people just don’t like to file; there’s even an online “I Hate Filing” club! Often they dread it because they have let it go for so long that now there’s a huge pile that’s overwhelming. Sometimes it’s because the file cabinet is jammed full and there’s no room for new papers. Or the drawers scrape and stick when you try to pull them out. Or it’s inconvenient because you have to cross the room or stand up to reach the right drawer. Many times, it’s because the system is too complicated and it’s not clear where papers should go. Files that are hard to use are files you don’t want to use!
Locate files based on frequency of use
Keep the files you use all the time in the most convenient location, just like you would with any other office tool. Keep the ones you use less frequently a bit farther away—perhaps across the room, and the ones you seldom use even farther away, maybe in a storage closet.
Consider unconventional filing methods
Here’s a totally different way to file that can solve the problem of where to file papers that belong to more than one category. It also eliminates the need to remember exactly where you filed something. Create a file index on your computer by assigning a number to each new file in the order that it’s created. Then add as many key words as you need to be sure you can find it again. When you search on those key words a list of all files with those words will be brought up. You’ll spot the one you want, and be able to find it immediately by its number alone.
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