Organize the Office

Top 10 Things Every Office Can Use to Get Organized

1. A good wall calendar to keep track of events.

2. A label maker. Label every cord, file, and bin so you know what’s it in.

3. Tickler Files: files that sit out on your table, desk, or counter to hold action items such as To Do, To Pay, To Go, To File, To Enter, etc.

4. A business card notebook, file box, or scanner.

5. Garbage cans

6. A shredder

7. Supply cabinet

8. Off site records storage area. Don’t keep it nearby if you don’t use it monthly.

9. Small plastic bins.
* They keep lots of small things organized together and they stack to maximize space. Use very small bins in drawers as dividers for pens, paper clips, office tools, etc.

10. CD sharpie’s to label them immediately.



Paperwork Then & Now

The times they are a’changin’. There is new technology invented every day that can help you with the daily busy work we have at home.

Since the Internet boom, everything relating to paper storage has changed. When you’re used to filing “the old” way, it’s difficult to wrap your head around a new process. We assure you, however, the new basic systems of organization will make your life easier and less cluttered (and bring you into this century!). Here are some simple steps to update your tech-savvy.

Receipts
Then: Save paper receipts for everything to keep track of expenses. Match receipts with credit card and debit card statements.
Now: When ordering online, only save the electronic receipt. Create a receipts folder on your computer and save them there. Continue to file paper receipts for big ticket items, such as home and car maintenance receipts, in a filing cabinet.

Bills
Then: Wait for bills to come in the mail, then write a check and send it back via snail mail.
Now: Pay bills electronically through your bank or through each individual vendor’s Web site. Most vendors these days can bill you electronically, as well.

Important dates
Then: Write birthdays and anniversaries on a paper calendar year after year.
Now: Use an electronic calender/task manager on your computer or a free online reminder service, such as www.birthdayalarm.com, to keep up with these important dates.

Passwords
Then: Write them down in a notebook or address book, and inevitably lose them.
Now: There are too many to count or remember. Track them in a Word document or spreadsheet. Or better yet, get a password program that can remember everything for you.

Personal documents
Before: Make a filing system to store your important documents.
Now: Receive electronically or scan them in and save them on discs or store with an online backup service, such as www.mozy.com. You still want to keep hard copies of legal and insurance papers in a fire-proof or safety deposit box.

School Papers

We didn’t get nearly as much paper when we were kids. Children get so much paper these days it requires some serious organization-purge backpacks weekly. Use an open file box with hanging files to create an easy-to-reach storage area.

For help on what to keep and what to chuck, see the checklist below.

What to File:

➤ Graded papers
➤ School information
➤ Activities and clubs
➤ Class notes-by subject, one per hanging file
➤ Papers for parents
➤ Awards and certificates
➤ Use a larger box for artwork (an under-the-bed box works well)

What to Throw Out:

➤ Keep art and keepsakes to a minimum-save about 10-20 items per year per child
➤ Graded papers after the report cards come home

– Allison

Alternate to Filing

Filing is a great way to store paper. But let’s just face the fact that Righties often take issue with it.
1. if you don’t do it regularly you get a pile.
so
2. why not just pile in the first place
and
3. I know where things are in my piles so why should I put things in a drawer or box because then I won’t know where they are anymore.

There are some handy alternatives for those who don’t want to file because it is more work or suffer from OOSOOM (out of sight, out of mind).

My favorite is using stacking trays because you can get lots of them and at least have categorized stacks. The same principles apply as in filing, but you will need broader categories so that you don’t have 137 or more trays.
These fun colored trays are from See Jane Work

Begin with the action trays: To Do, To Go, To File, To Pay and Someday
That can be one stack.
2nd Stack will be home papers: House, Finances, Insurance, Health, Personal
This only works well if you’re willing to cut the crap and just save the minimum amount of stuff.
If you are an info-holic, you gotta pick another route because you’ll end up with too many trays to manage.

Other handy bins, buckets and trays:
coupons to use
receipts to keep/file/toss later
schedules

The people at Pendaflex did a bunch of research and found that there are a ton of people who actually prefer piling to filing and they created some great products to make your piling more workable.

My favorite is the Pilesmart files .
You can see into them and lay them across your desk with just the tab showing or the whole thing showing.
There are a variety of these with write-on tabs on the side or bottom.
The files also make it easy to take your action items on the go.

Lots of people will tell you all kinds of rules about managing paper, but there is only one rule
Find out what works for your style.
Do what works for you
And make it work!