Home Office Filing
- Set up your file drawers with hanging folders.
- If you have performed a pre-sorting, begin by inserting each bill folder in each its own hanging file folder at the front of the top file drawer. These are to be kept separate from the rest of the files.
- Space the alphabetical file dividers at intervals throughout the drawers, beginning just after bill files.
- If you have performed a pre-sorting, next you place each red file in its own hanging file folder behind the appropriate lettered file divider, and in order with the rest of the folders behind that divider.
- Insert each paper into a manila and label it, with the exception of very important papers (ie: birth and marriage certificates), which go into red folders. (Receipts, Warranties, Taxes, Medical, Insurance, Car, Retirement, School, Travel, Leisure, and Reference are common home file label titles.) Label all bills “BILL [company name]”.
- All Bills are to be filed separately and in the top front file drawer.
- Place each manila file in a hanging file folder behind its appropriate lettered file divider, and in order with the rest of the folders behind that divider.
- When you are done, remove all the extra hanging folders from the drawers.
- Write down on the pad all the names of the files.
- Enter all the names into an Excel spreadsheet, and save as “files alpha [date]”.
- Export the names into label templates for both hanging and manila folders and print.
- Attach labels to all manilas and their folders.
- Label and add a hanging folder containing a manila folder for each file you add in the future.
- Continue to update Excel spreadsheet and save as current date with the addition of each new file.
Theresa Romero
Consulting and Hourly Services