In today’s world, there’s an app for everything. But an app can’t replace all the paper scattered around an office. Because while you can digitize receipts and invoices, some things have no place on the cloud.
You don’t need to drown in paper. Here are five tips for organizing your office paperwork.
1. Separate by Type
You don’t need the Dewey Decimal system to get your filing system up and running. Unless you run a claims adjustor office, filing by type of document is often the best place to start.
Create multiple categories that best represent each group: tax returns and related documents, invoices and payment receipts, legal paperwork, etc.
Then, you can break those down into more manageable ways, such as by date.
If you’re organizing a personal office, consider using additional categories like:
- Meetings
- Waiting on response
- Reading
- Archive
- Storage
These will help you navigate the paperwork you need day-to-day.
2. Digitize What You Can
Paper has come a long way. You can even now get antibacterial paper. Even still, nothing beats the benefits of digitization.
Using a digital filing system preserves your papers and makes them inherently more retrievable. If you can, you should only be keeping paper copies where it’s absolutely necessary, such as if the government demands it.
If you’re new to digitization and unsure where to start, check out these apps designed to help you go paperless.
3. Schedule Time to File Weekly
Filing systems get out of control when they’re neglected. You will save time – and even money – down the road if you schedule a time to care for them regularly.
Add half an hour or even an hour of filing and admin time to your weekly schedule. It will keep you on top of your paperwork and digitization, which will keep you productive for the rest of the week.
4. Use a Quality Filing Cabinet
The system you use for filing is only as good as the product that houses it. If you’re going the filing cabinet route, it’s essential to make it a good one. Because over time, cheap or flimsy filing cabinets can shop the drawers from opening, which makes the cabinet virtually useless and will inevitably cause papers to build up elsewhere.
If you don’t love the idea of a filing cabinet (or multiple cabinets), consider using a folder and shelving system instead. Just make sure you use a secure area for any folders that include protected information.
Find Essential Office Paperwork in a Flash
Office paperwork is part of life – even in the digital age. While you can digitize the bulk of the papers floating around your home or company office, some things need to stay in a physical form.
By using a system and interacting with it at least weekly, you can make it much easier to find the files you need when you need them. It’s the little things that can make everyone more productive!
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