Is paperwork making you crazy? I have a few easy rules to follow that will help keep it organized. It will lessen your workload, help you save time and relieve the stress you feel when you are in the paperwork overload mode. As an office manager, I struggled with paperwork for years. I would attempt to straighten things but I would always end up with stacks of papers everywhere and it all seemed too important to file. Definitely, some things are too important but not everything. By following these practices, you will see the paperwork overload disappear and be able to keep it organized in the future.

Mail:

The mail arrives every day and is the first thing that builds up. Have a designated place to put it. Throw out junk mail immediately. Place your bills in your desktop file in a clear folder. Avoid keeping catalogs; instead, write down their website and keep the web address in a small book along with other websites that you need. Remember to write down user names and passwords. Items that need immediate attention go in a pending to do file located behind your bills to be paid file.

Desktop Files:

Keep files handled on a daily or frequent basis on desktop. Place your unpaid bills in a clear folder with a list of all due dates on top of the bills. Do not forget to write tax due dates on your desktop calendar as an extra reminder. Each day, take a quick glance for any bill that needs immediate attention. Other desktop files might include pending items: Things to do, Waiting for payment or Orders to complete folders. Place these files behind the bills file.

File Cabinet:

Filing is a drag. It is even worse when drawers stick or take a Herculean effort to slide. Do yourself a favor and purchase a new cabinet. You are now much more likely to do your filing in a timely manner. Place your file cabinet within reach of your desk chair.

Filing System:

Categorize and Alphabetize under each category. I will give you some examples. Using plain manila folders with black markers, label your insurance files as follows: Insurance-Auto, Insurance-House, and Insurance-Medical. Label your bills paid files: Bills-Credit card, Bills-Other, Bills-Projects, and Bills-Utilities. Color coding files do not work for me. I found that if I ran out of the particular color I needed, the whole system would break down because I would just set the paper aside until I could purchase the right color.

Paperwork:

Now you have a place to

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