Do you have a simple system for filing papers at home? If so, please share!

[Stacia]

I am overrun with papers. Inspired by KonMari (& because I hate paperwork), I'd like to toss or simplify as much as I can. I would love ideas & inspiration for ways to reduce & then easily maintain a simple system. For example, I found this post online & really like the simplicity of it. (Not sure I can make mine quite as simple, but I would like to get close.) I am really working on tackling paper, would like to greatly reduce, & then set-up a relatively simple system that will be easy to maintain.

Do you have a simple system for keeping up with home-related files (bills, medical records, accounts, etc....)?
Do you have simple categories for filing (rather than separate files for every little thing)?
How often do you weed or clean out files (especially older ones)?
What *don't* you save? (What should I be tossing & never saving/filing in the first place?)
Any tips, ideas, or examples are appreciated!

I am fine with accessing some stuff online but I'm not interested in having to scan a bunch of stuff in order to save it (at least not right now).

Thanks!

[happi duck]

When I actual use it Freedom Filer works for me.  I didn't have a convenient place to keep files so I gave up.  When I was using it I liked it a lot.  

  https://www.amazon.com/FreedomFiler-Home-Filing-Kit-Tab/dp/B00F5VUJIC/ref=asc_df_B00F5VUJIC/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309798467407&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7300714065756376967&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021537&hvtargid=pla-492995134730&psc=1

[HomeAgain]

Here's a good basic list for documents and how long to keep:
-tax filing documents: forever
-supporting documents: 7 years
-reoccurring bills: 1 month
-loans: for the life of the loan and replaced by the letter of release (to keep for 7 years)
-house documents: for the term specified by repair or mortgage. 
-medical bills: 6 months to a year or depending on what the issue is.  If it's a long term thing, I keep them for the length of that problem so I know exactly how often/who was seen

For us, we have a system of routine rather than organization.  I have 5 things:
Letter sorter
Shredder
House binder
Fireproof safes

Each week, when papers come in I put them in a letter sorter.  If it's a utility bill, it stays in that holder until the next one comes.  Next to the sorter is a shredder and unneeded documents are immediately shredded.  At the end of each week I sort out anything that didn't make it to its home earlier and discard the junk.
House documents go in our mortgage binder.  I have pockets in there to hold repairs for each year so I know when we bought something, who installed it, and what the warranty is.
Tax documents go in a fireproof safe that is strictly for documents like that, loans, and medical.  It's gone through yearly.  We have a second, smaller fireproof safe for identity documents: passports, birth certificates, etc.  I found when they were all in one I was losing things more often.  Social security cards are kept in baseball card holders because it's easier to immediately get your hands on those than it is to find a small piece of paper that wears out easily. Personal medical files (shot records, allergies, well visit records, copies of medical paperwork for camps, etc) are kept in bright red folders in the same smaller safe so I can take them with me to routine appointments.  We've rarely seen the same doctor more than once, so having it at our fingertips has been helpful.

The key is just to be organized.  My letter sorter, shredder, and three hole punch are all near each other.  Having pocket page protectors in the house binder means all the thin papers can be stuffed in quickly.  I can set aside a few minutes each week to sort and file to proper homes.  I had to develop a system that worked with my strengths and weaknesses.
 

[PeachyDoodle]

My system is a dish draining rack, lol. Seriously, I repurposed a dish rack from the dollar store into a file holder. It sits in our rear entryway, where mail can be sorted as it arrives. There are files for bills that need to be paid, bills that have been paid, insurance information, benefits info, tax info, etc. Each family member also has his/her own file, where I stash things like the reports we get from the doctor at our check-ups, awards and certificates, and various other things related to that specific person. In the cup on the front designed for silverware, I stick things that I might have use for in the near future, like coupons to our favorite restaurant.

About once or twice a year I go through the file rack and clean it out. I file all the paperwork we need to keep in a 3-ring binder labeled for that year -- things like bank statements, tax forms, pay stubs, etc. Basically anything we might need should we be audited (I keep a list in the front of the most recent binder because I never remember). I throw away paid utility bills and out-of-date insurance pamphlets and miscellaneous other things that have accumulated over time. I check the kids' folders and put their awards and such in their scrapbooks. I move any documents that need to be kept long-term but not often accessed (e.g., mortgage documents, birth certificates, SS cards, which sometimes have to be used and then are stuck into the filing rack to be dealt with later) into our fireproof storage. That process takes a couple of hours, but as I said, it's only once or twice per year.

[Junie]

Dh handles most of the filing here; I'm not sure what his organizational system is, but it makes sense to him.

My filing consists of homeschool records (for legal requirements) and medical.

I use one drawer in a filing cabinet with color-coded folders.  Each child is assigned a different color and has 2 folders in my drawer: one for homeschool, one for medical.  I generally just put new items in the front so that the items are chronologically filed.

It's a pretty simple system and I can find most items that I need in just a minute or two.

[Pen]

I learned about Freedom Filer (linked by @happi duck ) here on WTM .  I am in my Second year of it which means the only file I’ve done purging on so far is the coupons/offers file which gets rapidly full and out of date. Thus a bit early to say how it works for long term. And I haven’t yet converted old files to it, rather I just jumped in where I was with anything new.  

Day to Day it has been the best system I’ve used. I have old paperwork to konmari, but the new is all going smoothly.  I had one missed bill which I was upset about and thought maybe a new system failure, but it turned out it had gone to wrong address. 

I throw out as much junk as possible right away.

I take care of bills as right away as possible.  I use my cellphone calendar to remind me to do anything not already done immediately (including where the papers were filed) , sometimes I put in process papers up on the wall by the landline phone.

Since ds is in school, I do have one big school file that won’t fit in Freedom Filer— if anything arguably relates to his school I put it in his school file (school manuals, directories, school work that comes to me, scribbled notes that might be important, records and grades reports, ) certificates of merit go on Wall or mantle for awhile and then get moved into the file. 

Almost everything not immediately thrown out goes in it’s Freedom Filer month received file —unless I know for sure it has to do with taxes or a current project or problem or needs (legal, medical etc) or deserves (special hobby or treasured paper, maybe a poem written by dc) long term storage.  

I used some of Freedom Filer’s own topics to tell me what to store medium or long term, and by and large just follow the system.  

[SKL]

• Where possible, I eliminate paperwork by opting for electronic billing etc.
• I keep a small pile or sometimes 2-3 small piles of "to dos" close to my work area, where I can grab and do stuff on work breaks.  (I work at home.).
• I have 2 pretty boxes a little bigger than letter paper size / 4" deep, in which I store "to file" and "longer term to-do" items until I have a block time to do personal stuff.
• I also have a small cubby where I keep school stuff that will be referred to repeatedly over the school year.
• When I file, I throw out everything that is old enough that I don't have to worry about having proof, or that has been superseded by a newer document.  Anything I have online, if I also get a paper copy, it goes straight into the trash.  Even if I do need a hard copy, there are usually some pages that can be discarded from the document.
• I have about 6-8 legal-size expandable paper files, each expandable to about 2", into which I file stuff that does need to be kept.  The categories are tax stuff, school documents, investment documents, nonprofits' documents (that I manage), medical stuff, and maybe one or two others.  I periodically go through these files and purge old stuff that is no longer needed.
• This system has worked pretty well for about 10 years so far.

[Pen]

 

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Do you have a simple system for keeping up with home-related files (bills, medical records, accounts, etc....)?
Do you have simple categories for filing (rather than separate files for every little thing)?

Bills, accounts, most things,  go in the current month file of Freedom Filer. Unless they have been moved to a tax file or some other longer term storage file : These are supposed to be purged every other year (but my first year to purge hasn’t come). 

Medical Records go in longer term storage section

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How often do you weed or clean out files (especially older ones)?
What *don't* you save? (What should I be tossing & never saving/filing in the first place?)

 

I purge or plan to purge Freedom Filer according to its instructions. 

I’ve purged some of my thought clutter on that, don’t have to think it through and I never have a “to file” pile waiting now. 

I try to not pick up things in first place— or not bring them home.  (Programs from events etc I leave behind as I go.) 

Things paper that do come in  get dealt with ASAP if there’s action to be taken (like a bill), then I stick it marked “paid” in current month. There’s very reduced thinking what to do because if in doubt I put it in current month. If it turns out important it will be retrieved from there. 

When I finish a current project I try to get rid of its paper if I don’t think I’ll need them.

I attach things like appliance use manuals /warranties etc to the appliance  itself if possible (eg in a plastic bag taped to side of washing machine). 

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Any tips, ideas, or examples are appreciated!

I am fine with accessing some stuff online but I'm not interested in having to scan a bunch of stuff in order to save it (at least not right now).

 

I don’t scan anything, but sometimes photograph something on my smartphone before throwing it out, for example a business card.  

 

Quote

 

Thanks!

 

Edited February 16, 2019 by Pen

[Pen]

If you decide to use Freedom Filer I think several people on WTM use it. You could start a thread for more specifics.

The pictures on Amazon and Freedom Filer own website (also you tube videos) can show more.

If you go to the Amazon link, the picture with black files in use looks a lot like the way I have mine though I chose straight line tabs for the months. And use a single file per year for tax related documents since I don’t have lots of complicated investments income or deductions.  

 For me it helps hugely to see categories laid out that way. 

So if I come home from car service I see to put the service record papers in Red “Vehicle”  file, the paid credit card receipt in the current month file.  If I get car insurance papers, they go in the Orange Insurance file.  (If you look at pic you probably can understand what I mean). 

This has helped me a lot because I had a brain injury that depletes Executive Function. 

 

I think some of @HomeAgain ‘s ideas would fit well too.  The system takes care of the what should be kept how long, but I think fireproof safe for important documents and shredder would help a lot.  I recently got a shredder, but am hoping that tagging @HomeAgain, maybe she has small fireproof safe to recommend.  

And the general attitude of a “system of routine” is key.  

Hers seems to be weekly into letter sorter, mine is upon arrival to house into Freedom Filer (or recycle bin if not needed). 

Either way, or in whatever way will fit your schedule and needs,  a system that gets followed makes a huge difference! 

Edited February 16, 2019 by Pen

[TheReader]

11 hours ago, Stacia said:

I am overrun with papers. Inspired by KonMari (& because I hate paperwork), I'd like to toss or simplify as much as I can. I would love ideas & inspiration for ways to reduce & then easily maintain a simple system. For example, I found this post online & really like the simplicity of it. (Not sure I can make mine quite as simple, but I would like to get close.) I am really working on tackling paper, would like to greatly reduce, & then set-up a relatively simple system that will be easy to maintain.

Do you have a simple system for keeping up with home-related files (bills, medical records, accounts, etc....)?
Do you have simple categories for filing (rather than separate files for every little thing)?
How often do you weed or clean out files (especially older ones)?
What *don't* you save? (What should I be tossing & never saving/filing in the first place?)
Any tips, ideas, or examples are appreciated!

I am fine with accessing some stuff online but I'm not interested in having to scan a bunch of stuff in order to save it (at least not right now).

Thanks!

My system is actually really similar to what's in the link, although I like hers better, but I didn't/don't have space for 2 baskets like that. So, what I have is, in the kitchen cabinet, a 3-tier "in/out" tray like for an office (horizontal trays). Also, a napkin holder thing (the vertical kind) that bills go into. So, when bills, things that need attention, etc. come in, they go in the vertical napkin holder thingy. Things that I need to save, but don't need attention (like EBTs from insurance, policy updates, etc.) go directly into the 3-tier file shelf thingy -- "move to safe", "move to closet" and "keep on hand". (or something similar...it gets tweaked). 

I also keep a trash bin under the sink for "burn pile" (this could also be shred pile, etc.) for junk mail that I don't want to throw away (all those junk cc offers, etc.).

We have a small fire safe where we keep the long term storage, and it has zip top baggies (gallon size) that everything goes into (&/or file folders). Medical sorted by person; ID Documents (birth cert, marriage cert, SS cards, etc.), House Docs (the survey, house insurance, flood insurance, etc.), Car Docs (titles, insurance policy info), Check Stubs, Tax Docs, School Records (transcripts, the kids' meningitis vaccine forms, test scores, etc.), and Receipts (mainly for large purchases things we would need/want to prove in the event of a house fire/disaster that would need for an insurance claim). Bill Statements.... I think that's all.....

I do the same with bills that she does; keep it, pay it, write on it when we paid/how we paid, move it to the file. 

We sort/declutter about once a year, usually while doing the taxes; it's a convenient time to pull everything out, go through it, move to the burn pile anything we no longer need to keep (then we have an annual bonfire in our fire pit every NYE), put the rest back in the fire safe. 

As far as "people need this but it's not important enough to go in the safe" I have a bin for each person in the family, on a shelf in the dining table (my table is the kind with pedestal legs that are actually two shelves). Random papers that come into the house get put in each person's bin. When it's so full I can see the papers over the top of the bin, I make the person deal with it. There's a random shelf in the kitchen cabinet, too, for "important but not urgent"; same thing. 
 

School papers have one designated box because my DH is sentimental and likes to keep that stuff. Otherwise, for school, all I'd keep would be whatever's needed for any portfolios, reporting, compiling transcripts, etc. I would not throw out elementary stuff until the first year of middle school is done; I would not throw out middle school until the first year of high school; I would not throw out high school until college is started (and I would save transcripts for a long time), etc. 

Hope that helps! 

[HomeAgain]

1 hour ago, Pen said:

I think some of @HomeAgain ‘s ideas would fit well too.  The system takes care of the what should be kept how long, but I think fireproof safe for important documents and shredder would help a lot.  I recently got a shredder, but am hoping that tagging @HomeAgain, maybe she has small fireproof safe to recommend.  

And the general attitude of a “system of routine” is key.  

Hers seems to be weekly into letter sorter, mine is upon arrival to house into Freedom Filer (or recycle bin if not needed). 

Either way, or in whatever way will fit your schedule and needs,  a system that gets followed makes a huge difference! 

I wish I did have a rec.  We just use the basic Sentry safes, one that's file sized and one that's about half that, like a small suitcase.  I decided I didn't want anything too big because I need to have the visual reminder to take care of things.  Dh just got a set of drawers from Ikea that is going to hold all our really important papers: souvenirs from trips and the planning binder for the next one. 😄 Just drawers, so the kids can look through them whenever they want.

[Stacia]

I decided to get the Freedom Filer labels and have been setting it up, then filing or trashing as needed.

Got all the main categories done, am now mostly working on other stuff like resource materials, mementos, etc.

Really liking it so far. Not as minimal as I would eventually like to be, but this works well for me now. And it has helped me trash and recycle a lot of paper, so I am happy those pounds are gone.

[Stacia]

Re: shredding...

I would have faced many hours of shredding as I had a lot to shred that I ignored for awhile, plus all the stuff I am culling now.

My sister said to burn it instead. We bought a metal trash can and added some gravel I already had to the bottom of it. She, the dc, and I burned a bunch of stuff earlier this week. So much more fun than shredding! And we want s'more supplies on hand next time,  lol.

Definitely a great alternative. I already have another large paper sack filled for our next burn. A friend of mine wants to bring some of her shredding pile to burn too. It's like an ugly fire pit,  I guess. Still fun, though, with family,  friends,  and food, lol.

[Beth S]

Yes to burning the surplus paperwork in the backyard.  Esp. with boys.  But it does take awhile.
I now use our seasonal Hot Dog Roasts as a reminder to bring out the surplus paperwork for 'kindling'.   😉

Yes to watching a KonMari Method youtube (or book excerpt) about not permanently keeping most paperwork.

Yes, I have a milk crate with permanent files, and a easily-accessible open box for my temporary paperwork.

The Hive is a helpful place to get motivation for de-cluttering if you're needing it!