Before you begin reading, you should be warned: this is not my normal, oh-so-glamourous little blog entry. This post deals with the organization of a somewhat daunting “grown-up” item: the filing cabinet. I felt compelled to tackle this subject because I recently conquered my fear of owning one, filling it, and using it properly. I now use this item. Daily. And I now feel empowered. I want you to feel the same…
Once upon a time… I didn’t even have documents in my filing cabinet. I took a sad industrial filing cabinet {it had potential!} and painted it a slight off-white and distressed it. Gorgeous. Industrial refurbished chic! I did this, not because I needed a filing cabinet, but because I thought it was an interesting piece of decor. I then had a large salvaged filing cabinet taking up space in my place. Not knowing how to correctly utilize such a cabinet, I filled it with miscellaneous odds and ends. Then, one day, I put some paper documents inside my cabinet {kind of… I basically just threw them in there}… hence, this “Before” photo:
Yes. Blech. Eck. Hey, at least there were now papers in my filing cabinets… but I was still missing {drumroll, please…}: files. I grabbed all of my loose “important papers” {basically anything with my social security number somewhere on it} that I didn’t know what to do with and threw them on the floor. I then left them there. For two weeks. For a super-organized person like myself, a mess that lasts two weeks is startling. Two weeks of loose papers scattered all over my white rug is cause for alarm. I was clearly dealing with some kind of mental overload. I decided to find order amid the chaos. I began to put things into piles that made sense. This is a very ugly photo, but I was proud of my progress.
Eventually, themes began to emerge. I noticed a lot of financial documents. Documents pertaining to my business. Documents that bespoke of my overwhelming law student loan debt {perhaps these documents in particular were why I waited two weeks to deal with all the miscellaneous stacks of paper}. Documents that dealt with my writing. Others that pertained to my car. And so on and so forth. Aha! These piled documents made more sense {and were far less overwhelming} when they were placed together. Then I put them in chronological order. Now they made even more sense. Now what? Yes! Time to put them into files! I jumped online and went to The Container Store {another sick type-A personality driven obsession of mine} and purchased some folders that made filing fun {okay, not fun… but at least they made filing somewhat stylish… and pink}.
It was time to label the folders with the little subthemes that popped out after I sorted the papers into their respective piles. My love for my label maker continues. I am soon investing {warning: nerd alert} in a pink label maker with a myriad of font options. Here are some label maker options for you…
1. Organizer Xpress Pro Embossing Label Maker $9
2. Brady Worldwide, Inc. 13500 Sign and Label Maker $4946
3. Costar 1755749 Rhino 5200 Label Printer Industrial Printer $104
4. Casio KL60SR Compact EZ-Label Maker $25
5. Brother PT1100SB-RF Scrapbook P-touch Label Maker $65
6. Brother PT-1000P Handheld Labeling Machine Limited Edition – Pink $40
Then I printed up all of my labels and utilized the filing folders. I thought it was {sigh…} beautiful.
Finally, I placed my neatly organized and no longer intimidating files where they belonged. And now you can, too.
Great post, and very accurate! As a file cabinet dealer, I wish more people would take your advice. I see such sloppy and disgracefully filled filing cabinets day in and day out. It totally shocks me how people can find anything when they need at home or work.
Thank you! I am a big proponent of organization… especially an organized office! xoxo, Kiki E