Get That Office Organized (Finally!)

Get That Office Organized (Finally!)

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How do you know it s time to really start that office organization project and stop just thinking or talking about it? Ask yourself these questions: 1. Are you losing too much time searching through the clutter on your desk for files that you need? 2. Can you consistently retrieve information quickly and easily? 3. Do you feel stressed and overwhelmed every time you need to reach into your filing cabinet and pull out important information? Creating and maintaining a good file management system and habits can hugely simplify your working life! Organizing your files can be a tedious task when you just aren t sure how to start or once you ve started how to maintain. The key to creating an off the hook easy filing system is one that works for you and others who may come after you. It s vitally important to create a system that you can easily navigate through so that you or an assistant can quickly find what is needed at that moment. 3

Clutter Really Does Cost You: ü The average American spends one year of his or her life looking for lost or misplaced items, according to the National Association of Professional Organizer ü Studies show that people with a messy desk or work area lose 1.5 hours a day looking for stuff or being distracted by clutter ü Twenty-three percent of people pay bills late and incur fees because their statements have been lost in the clutter. These are a few of the key points we discuss and address with our personal clients. By having files that are easy to navigate through, you save precious time not wasted by digging through mountains of papers trying to locate something. The stress that comes along with not being able to find something when you need it is in itself enough fuel to become more organized. Because sometimes St. Anthony just doesn t do his magic fast enough! **If you already have a system and it just doesn t seem to be working. It s actually easier to start from scratch and then incorporate your old files into a better working system. 4

But, the good news is it doesn t have to be difficult! With a simple plan or someone to guide you through the process in a step by step manner, you can incorporate a filing system in your office that supports you rather than hinders your productivity. The overall goal here is to eliminate unnecessary paperwork and keep organized what we deem necessary. Not really all that complicated is it? Why then do people often fall victim to a disorganized desk then? During my time teaching other busy professionals and home owners I have narrowed it down to 2 broad categories. 1) They allow the content that has been read to become shelf help. Nothing changes without implementation. 2) They don t allow enough time to form a good concrete habit. Not all habits are bad you know! By making an effective strategy a habit, the guess work and time lost processing the information is eliminated. 5

Why is it important to take the time to create a workable system? An effective filing system is vital for business owners. Keeping systems in order throughout your business or home are essential to improving ones productivity. Avoid wasting time looking for things by always knowing where something lives in your home, office or filing cabinet. ü Being able to find tax information or an EIN# for example should be at your fingertips at all times. ü It s important to easily be able to find and access important documentation, client files, and insurance certificates just to name a few. ü Hours and sometimes days are wasted looking for an important document, file or legal content. ü As a business owner it s important to keep important documentation and concise files for tax purposes. The harsh reality is people do get audited. If you keep things in an organized manor you ll be prepared should that day ever fall upon you. ü By creating a system that you understand, you ll always be able to find what is needed at that moment. ü You naturally become more productive when you aren t wasting time searching. ü Conscious filing will make it easier to get rid of the information you really don t need to keep 6

What should be kept? ü Information you need for legal or tax purposes. ü Information you have spent time on creating or can t be reproduced easily. ü Original documents, such as those with signatures. Even if you have documents on a computer you may want to put a hard copy in a file. ü Client information files. ü Financial records. ü Resources you regularly utilize. 7

What doesn t need to be kept? ü There is no need to store information that is easily accessible on your computer or on the Internet. ü Discard reference material that is quickly outdated such as price lists or catalogs. ü Information that is no longer relevant in your life or business. If you were once a pet sitter and have stacks of articles on pet care but now you re a marketing strategist it s time to let go! ü Years and years of unnecessary bills and invoices. ü Outdated contracts ü Old W2s ü Receipts for home improvement projects from an old home. ü (Many of these are examples of things we ve helped our clients dispose of) 8

Strategies to Consider When Creating an Effective Filing System ü Set up a filing system that lets you locate information with minimal effort. ü Consider how you would look for this information. What s the natural way you would look for your legal information for example? Would you look for it under your lawyer s name or something simple like legal info? ü Color-coding can be helpful for some people but confusing to others. What s you style? ü Do NOT over complicate things. Simple is easier to maintain. ü Do NOT over sub-categorize things. Your files just become overstuffed and messy. The opposite of what you re trying to achieve. ü Keep all tabs in one direction. Either center right justified or left justified. This way when you add or delete a file, you never disturb the flow of tabs. ü Keep files, labels and other materials on hand to make it easier and quicker to create new files when necessary. ü Have a shredder on hand for information that should be shred. ü Create a To-File box on your desk to collect everything that needs to be filed. ü Schedule time each week or month (whatever your need is) to empty, sort and file what is in your to-file box. ü Physically put that designated time into your calendar. ü Plan a file purge every six months to a year to clean out dated, irrelevant or unnecessary files. 9

ü Again: physically put this time into your calendar for consistency. ü Put the files you use most frequently in the front of the drawer or in an easy-to-access location. You might even want a section of your file drawer devoted specifically to work in progress. ü Your home office files don't have to have the same setup as your work files. ü Revisit the setup of your system regularly to ensure it meets the needs of your business, and be willing to adjust it as necessary. **These steps work well for filing documents on your computer, too** 10

Final piece of advice for all organizing: Ask yourself this one simple yet painful question: What is the worst thing that would happen if I got rid of this piece of paper, thing, or card. If the sky won t open and swallow you up like a tax audit, the likelihood is you don t have to keep it. If you have tried in vain in the past to get better organized in your home or office space, don t allow yourself to feel defeated. You re not alone!! That s why we offer one on one services to our clients to give them the hand holding support they need to just get it done! If now is the time, you can send us a request to just chat and discuss how we may be able to support you during your organizing efforts. Any questions can be sent directly to Kelly@yourtaskcomplete.com Or you can go directly to http:///contact-us/ Thank you for your time and good luck with your office project! Overworked image courtesy of Michal Marcol/FreeDigitalPhotos.net Too Much image courtesy of Gualberto107/FreeDigitalPhotos.net Stack Of Papers image courtesy of scottchan/freedigitalphotos.net Garbage Bin image courtesy of winnond/freedigitalphotos.net 11