OH: Week Twelve

I am far behind in the 52 Weeks to a More Organized Home. I kind of got discouraged when the last few weeks I already have accomplished the week's goals and add in extra busy weekends - well needless to say these challenges have been put on hold. But I am getting ready to get started again beginning with

Organize Your Home: Week 12

How to Organize Files in Your Home

Steps from this week's challenge:

1. Choose a Place and Storage Solution to Store your Home's Files

2. Create Your Home Filing System and Organize Files

3. Purge Some of Your Files Annually to Keep Paper Clutter From Taking Over

Here is a look at my paperwork system.

1. Choose a Place and Storage Solution

My place is in our office and my storage system is a plastic file crate.

We are in the process of finding a cheap file cabinet but I haven't found one I especially like yet.

(see the little blue crate, that's it!)

We also put our most important documents in a fire safe box. 

2. Create Your Home Filing System and Organize Files

Some examples of my file categories:

* Insurance 

* Automobile (separate file for each car, past/present)

*Banking Records

* Loan documents (one for Ben and one for myself)

* Vital documents (birth certificates, marriage license, passport, etc.)

* Monthly bills (organized per bill - energy, gas, etc.)

* Instruction Manuals

* Tax Paperwork (separated and labeled by year)

Make sure to leave space (and maybe even a few extra folders in the system) to grow!

3. Purge Some of Your Files Annually to Keep Paper Clutter From Taking Over

Take a good look at the files and shred items you no longer need. Every family's paperwork is unique to them so there is no perfect list of the items you should keep and the items you could purge. Items like utility bills and grocery receipts could be purged on an annual basis. I'd recommend keeping the last few months on those documents. 

This filing system has saved me so much time even though over the years I have put hours and hours into this system. When it came time to filing taxes Ben would ask me for information and I could pull out the information within 30 seconds! I highly recommend to everyone to take some time to further organize your paperwork! I will be purging and shredding today!