I'm giving you the bad news first: Paperwork is going to be a part of
your
life until the day you die. Avoiding it is not going to make it go away,
and
unlike your other chores, avoiding your paperwork can really screw up
your
life. If you don't do the laundry for three months you have dirty
underwear.
If you don't pay your mortgage for three months you have no house. And
don't
even get me started on the evils of trying to file all of that junk on
top
of the desk� So how do you reconcile yourself to the fact that you're
stuck
with this boring and nasty work forever?
Step 1. Cut Down on the Paper in Your Life
This is the paperwork version of decluttering, the same first step I tell
you to take with all forms of disorganization in your life. No, you can't
avoid paying your bills, but you can:
Cut down to one charge card per adult, two if you use one for home and
one
for work. This reduces statements, bill-paying time (and isn't bad for
your
budget, either).
Reduce your bank accounts, if you have several. If you find yourself
dealing
with multiple bank statements every month, this is a good place to start.
Pay bills by automatic deduction. Most utility bills can be handled this
way.
Reduce your junk mail by writing to the following address and asking them
to
remove you from their direct mail lists:
Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008
Stop subscriptions to magazines and newspapers you don't read anymore.
This
saves you money as well as time and guilt.
Step 2. Start With Good Equipment�
The process begins with decent equipment. If you don't already have it,
go
out and purchase two working file drawers. You'll need one for current
files
and one for archival papers. I firmly believe that nobody needs more than
two standard drawers for their personal files (if you have a home office,
it
will have separate file drawers). While you're at the office supply
store,
buy a box of hanging files and a box of manila folders.
Step 3. � And a Good, Clean Filing System
When you've got a filing system that's small, sleek and easy to use,
you've
already won half the paperwork battle. The first step is to do a set up a
workable filing system, and then to do a serious file-cleaning as you
move
your files into the new system, keeping in mind that your two file
drawers
serve as a size limit on the number of papers you can keep. You don't
want
to set up a nice new filing system only to cram trash into it. The first
time you clean out your files it can be an overwhelming task, but after
that
it will only take you an hour or so every year. It's well worth the
effort
to have simple streamlined files in which you can find things, instead of
files so packed you can't use them.
So how do you go about setting up your new file system? You start with
the
realization that most of us have papers that are current, archival and
sentimental. This is the most misunderstood part of filing. Archival and
sentimental paperwork should be kept separate from current paperwork.
This
way you don't need to dig through birthday cards and two-year-old
invoices
every time you need to pull up last month's bank statement.
First, you deal with current files. Current material is paper that you
reference at least several times a year. Some of the more common current
subjects are:
Current year bank statements
Current year investment statements
Current year taxes
Bills paid (I keep these month-to-month for most bills)
Ongoing projects
Health care for the current year - recent prescriptions, any paper from
recent visits. Old health care records will go in archival files.
Children/Family
Pets
Some people set up alphabetical files, others file by groups. You should
file the way you feel most comfortable. For much more information on this
subject, see Barbara Hemphill's book, Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger
(see below.)
If you haven't referenced the piece of paper in the past year but you've
decided you need to keep it, it's archival. Keep in mind that you
shouldn't
be holding on to a lot of archival material. Certainly you need to keep
your
tax records from the past seven years (and no longer!), but other than
that,
your archival files shouldn't be bulging. Very valuable or irreplaceable
archival material (your birth certificate, stock certificates) should be
stored in a safe deposit box or a fireproof safe. Some common archival
categories include:
Old taxes (seven years)
Warranties and owner's manuals
Old health care records
To really free up your space, look into a product like Papermaster, which
allows you to scan documents into your computer and set up a very nifty
virtual filing cabinet for them (see below.) The Handygirl web site also
lists a lot of good software for paper management.
To clean out your current files, you look at every piece of paper and ask
yourself three questions:
Do I need this piece of paper? What's the worst thing that could happen
if
you threw it away?
Is it on file somewhere else? If nothing bad would happen if you threw it
away or if you could get another copy, then by all means, pitch it. Let
the
archiving be done by professionals. Do not save things that you might
need
someday. Be ruthless.
Does it belong in my files? If you haven't referenced it in a year and
you
don't need it but you want it, it's sentimental. I'm not so cruel that I
would force you to throw away those old letters from your college
girlfriend
or the cards from your grandmother. However, those things should go into
your album or hope chest, not in your filing system! Your file system is
not
a museum, it is a functional storage system for the stuff you use
regularly.
Once you get through this step, you just need to label your manila
folders
and hanging folders. Some people file alphabetically, some prefer to use
grouping ("financial", "projects", etc.). Alphabetical is probably the
easiest as long as you pick file headers that you are likely to remember.
Step 4. Set Up a Pleasant Work Space
As I said before, you might as well make it as nice as possible to do
your
paperwork. That means having the right workspace and the right equipment.
If
you're trying to do all your paperwork at the kitchen table or on your
bed,
you're suffering needlessly. You're going to need a workspace close to
your
files. It doesn't have to be a giant slab of polished oak in your private
home office, either. It can be a simple little desk or table off to one
side
of the kitchen. At the very least it should be well-lit and have a
reasonably comfortable chair. If you want, you can set it up near the
phone
and the computer. Next to this desk you're going to put a decent-sized
garbage can and recycling bin (when I refer to the garbage can in this
and
other articles, I mean garbage and recycling.) You will also put a large
basket under the desk. On top of the desk will be a stacking file with at
least two levels: Action and Bills. Filing is going in that big basket
under
the desk. Now when paper and mail come into your home, you can sort them
right here and decide whether they should go to Action, Bills, Filing or
the
all important Garbage. No more insidious piles of paper in the living
room,
kitchen and bedroom nagging at your conscience.
In a basket or drawer on or in the desk, stock up with a stapler, staple
remover, hole punch, tape, pencil sharpener, a large eraser, scissors,
calculator (with working batteries), ruler, staples and paper clips. Add
to
that envelopes, stamps, address stickers and a notepad. You'll want a jar
or
a mug with pencils, pens, a highlighter and a big black marker (a million
uses). Finally, store filing supplies near your workspace - extra manila
folders, hanging folders and tabs. I don't suggest that you keep a
bulletin
board near your desk unless you really find it helpful. Some people like
them, but most just use them to delay decision making and create a
cluttered
paper purgatory. In that case, you're better off without it. I know this
sounds like a lot of stuff, but I guarantee that you will use every
single
thing on this list.
Now that you're filing system is ready to go and you have a decent place
to
work, you're finally ready to tackle the paperwork.
5. Make it a Regular Task
You're never going to be free of the paperwork in your life, so you might
as
well learn to live with it graciously. Set aside time every two weeks to
deal with paperwork, and allow at least an hour. This will ensure that
you
never get behind on any of the bills. Make it a time when you can be
reasonably free of demands from your kids and spouse. Sit down with a cup
of
tea, turn on some music and get to work.
Deal with the Financial pile first - pay the bills, balance the
checkbooks,
review the investment accounts. This is usually the most critical pile.
Then
move onto your Action stack, which always comprises a diverse and
annoying
little set of tasks. Don't do work now that involves leaving your desk
unless you're retrieving something. The point here is to reduce those
piles
of paper to a minimum, not to get involved in other projects. When you're
done, you should have a bunch of paper in the trash, a small stack added
to
the filing basket, and possibly a few other papers that need to be given
to
someone else. Put these in your briefcase now, and finish off your
paperwork
session by filing every single thing you've tossed into that big file
basket
at your feet.
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