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Home filing systems are an important method of keeping your documents organized. However, without proper thought and consideration, while making them, you may end up creating a hassle for yourself.
In such cases, they may prove to be a nuisance. Thus, we will discuss a complete home filing checklist here. It will explain the different things you need to keep in mind to create the perfect home filing system.
Home Filing System Requirements
Before an effective filing system can be set up, you must have the requirements to make it. Schedule a trip to the nearest market to source the following items. Here’s what you’ll need:
Equipment / Tools
- Recycling bin
- Shredder
- Label maker or writing utensil
Materials
- File folders
- Filing cabinet, file box, or other storage space for file folders
- Fireproof box or safe (optional)
- Binder (optional)
- Inbox tray (optional)
- Labels are needed for the file folders. They can be sticky notes as well.
Creating the Labels
It would help if you created proper labels for your filing system for it to be effective. One way of doing so is dividing it into different categories. For example, you can label a folder like personal expenses, bank statements, pay stubs, and tax records.
Finally, you can also create folders for each smaller category if you have several files.
Organizing Files and Documents
The next step in your checklist must actually be to organize the files and documents that you require. In such cases, you can use the filing cabinet to start organizing your files. Make sure you keep all the folders inside the expanding folder you purchased. It would then help if you held the receipts for all the categories you made in their respective files.
Additionally, make sure you keep the most urgent files on the top. For example, if you have a file containing the bills you need to pay immediately, keep that file on the top. This way, you are less likely to forget paying a bill. Make sure once the bill is paid, you put it in the right file.
Daily Filing
Your filing does not end at the initial stages. Instead, your home filing checklist must contain the flexibility for your daily filing.
The way to proceed is simple:
- Collect the mail from the mailbox and gather it in one place.
- Read each mail and decide which ones need to be kept and which ones you need to discard. Discard them immediately to avoid creating a mess.
- Then, you need to add the bills to the folder you created for the bills.
- Add the different receipts and invoices to their relevant folders as well.
- Try to avoid misplacing any item in the wrong file. If you do so, you may find yourself wasting unnecessary time trying to find the item when you need it.
How long do you need to do it?
Remember, filing is a never-ending activity. Yet, it helps when you’ve established the proper filing system.
Conclusion
Your home filing checklist must contain the features mentioned above to be successful. Afterwards, you can create, store and share important documents that your loved ones might need.
Putting all your most important information into a retrievable filing and storage system will relieve a big burden on your family if anything should happen to you. Enjoy the comfort and relax knowing that they’re taken care of.
Make sure to use the home filing checklist. The worst thing that can happen is you’ll become super organized. Got some suggestions? We would love it if you shared them in the comments section.
