The Ultimate Guide to Managing Paperwork at Home

If you are reading this right now, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve got piles of paperwork on your desk or around your office. 

Do you know that this type of work clutter has a direct impact on your ability to be productive while working? These piles and stacks could be adding stress and anxiety to your workday. New research proves that a messy desk causes the “clutter effect.” This study has demonstrated that clutter impacts a person’s ability to move, think clearly, and leads to a loss of personal satisfaction and happiness.

Who doesn’t want to reduce these feelings and work in a more peaceful and relaxed environment? 

Let’s kick that clutter effect to the curb! I will share my best secrets for good file keeping and office organization. If you are done feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, or guilty about the papers lying around your workspace, grab a notepad, and let’s get started.

Setting Up Your Filing System

Getting Started 

With any project, a good strategy beforehand will make the work easier. When preparing your workspace for filing and storage, begin with the end in mind. You will want enough cabinet or drawer space to fit everything nicely, without having to jam in files or papers. This will require that you take an honest assessment of your filing needs and then acquire the necessary furnishings for storage before you begin. I recommend a file cabinet with full-extension drawers that will meld nicely into your current space.

Be Practical

Your storage needs will not be one-size-fits-all. Think about your day. What files do you access often? Naturally, these need to be stored close to you, either in your desk drawer or in a cabinet within reach. Test out the process. You will want to make your new system easy and convenient. This will help you stay on top of the mess by making it easy to file things away immediately. Files that you access rarely but are required to keep can be kept in a file cabinet on another side of the room or in a storage area outside the office instead. In the effort to declutter, you may find it feels better to have these types of files stored in another closet or room, away from your busy work area.

Get the Right Supplies

You’ll want to invest in both hanging file folders and manila folders. Hanging file folders allow for easy movement within the file drawer, while manilla folders make it more convenient to retrieve your documents as you need them. The more organized your filing system is to use, the