How to Organize Papers at Home

When organizing your household papers, it’s hard to know which papers need to be kept on hand and which needs to be discarded. Searching for papers, critical bills and receipts is the order of the day.

It is a waste of time and energy. You will end up paying late fees too as you were not reminded on time. You are very engrossed with your daily chores that you miss out on the target deadlines. You can convert this daily chaos into an organized manner by following the simple guidelines on How to Organize Papers at Home.

• Maintain one area of your home for filing of papers. Select a day when you can focus on this activity and you will not have disturbance. Collect all papers and segregate into four sections. Basically arrange 4 cardboard boxes with identification.  Identify the boxes with prominent label: personal, legal, home, trash and start sorting all the loose papers.
• Arrange the cardboard boxes close to each other and start the arranging work. You may come across items that belong to your friend / neighbor. Place such items on the main table such that you can hand over to them.
• You need to set up a filing system that is relatively easy to use for your important documents and receipts. Maintain sub categories for each of the main sections such that the documents will be filed correctly.
• Maintain files with different colors, or tabs and labels of different colors.
• Use an album with separators to store important visiting cards. Store in alphabetical order ,it will help you identify when required later.
• Use a miscellaneous file for the papers that does not fit in any category. Review these documents periodically and discard the data that is not valid. At times you will identify a new category based on regular updates.
• Place a basket for incoming mails near the front door, best idea would be to place this basket near the rack containing your home keys and vehicle keys. You will not miss on important mails when you go pick your keys.
• Make filing a habit. File at least once a week. Set aside time to file these papers.
• An important point will be to discard old bills of the previous year. Ensure you have last 3 payment receipts. You may require it for legal submission.
• While cleaning the kitchen you may come across recipes placed in several cupboards . It may be hand written, paper-magazine cutting,etc. Collate all of them and place it in a separate folder in alphabetical order or in categories such as cakes, pickles, desserts, etc.
• Place a clipboard in the common room such that you can place the message or reminders for important payments and important dates.
• As time passes by you will have a lot of docs. Home related docs, children education, certificates, etc. Place important docs in a metal cupboard. This will be a foolproof system from any damages of insects and thefts.
• Place one file for all warranty cards. This will help you quickly address any maintenance requirements and breakdowns.
• Maintain a nice book for all telephone numbers. Download the numbers from your mobile such that it can be useful for people at home, working from home scenario too.

Once you have a system in place for organizing your papers, your home will run efficiently. The document retrieval time has come down, you will be able to locate any document as per the requirement. In addition, you will be better prepared to deal with the inevitable emergencies that will come up as time goes by.

Wishing you all good luck in organizing your papers and in turn your homes.