Organizing Important Papers

Cabinet with Multi-colored Hanging Files

Keeping your vital documents in order is a big part of staying organized. these important papers need to be safe and easily accessible. This is a guide about organizing important papers.

Solutions: Organizing Important Papers

Read and rate the best solutions below by giving them a "thumbs up".

Dish Drainer for Filing

I have just moved and ended up with five dish drainers. (Don't ask.) So, I was gathering them up to donate and thought of a way to keep a second one in the bedroom's office.

You can use the separations for binders (1 inch is best), large envelopes, or portfolios. The slant is perfect, and you can keep different sizes with the larger in back.

You can also keep cookbooks, owners manuals, index cards, tablets or envelopes in there, too. N-JOY!

By Sandi from Salem, OR

2SharePrintFollow3 Feedbacks

Organizing Financial Information

I have a 3 ring binder for each of us (my husband and I) to organize our financial information and I also have a binder for joint financial information. In each of our binders I have a section for such as Social Security statements that come one time a year, a section for retirement information, section for life insurance, section for CD and savings and so on.

I use clear separator sheets that I insert contact information for each section. For instance my life insurance I have the name, address and telephone number of who to contact and how much the life insurance pay out should be.

My husband and I are not the only ones that know about these binders. I have shared our binders with each of our grown kids. That way if one of us passes away or we are not able to handle our own business and the other is not able to handle the financial side the thought is one of our kids can step in and assist. They have thought this is such a good idea that they have started their own binders.

By Notwrong

0SharePrintFollow3 Feedbacks

Protect Your Important Documents in Your Freezer

Protect your important documents (insurance info, car titles, warranties, etc.) by placing them is a zip lock bag in your freezer. Should a fire occur, they will not be burned.

Source: We've done this for years.

By GrannyGoff from Concord, NC

2SharePrintFollow2 Feedbacks

Keep File with Maintenance Records

We all have to do it periodically. Buy a home, do maintenance on that home and/or yard, buy a car, do maintenance on that too. But how many of us can say exactly when it was done, how much it cost, who did it, and all the other details of each? If we're honest with ourselves, not many!

I ran across this tip that I got from someone years ago and never thought of it till just recently. Keep a file in the filing cabinet of all major things you have done. Here is a list of some of the things that should go into this file:

Home purchase: including date, Realtor, manufacturer (if it's a mobile home) or builder, any other details of the sale, and the bill of sale or deed.
Vehicle purchase: date, where from, warranty, anything else, bill of sale and/or title.
Any remodeling or improvements to the home or car: date, who did it, details of what was done, receipt for work done, any warranties or guarantees, anything else having to do with the work.

The things to be put into this file should include putting a new roof on the house, putting a new floor or carpet in, painting/wallpapering, landscaping, putting up a fence, remodeling or adding a room, new windows/doors, new furnace or a/c, insulation, anything major that you have done or have had done to your home, car, or yard.

This will serve two purposes. You will have a record of anything that is done in case a problem arises; and when it comes time to sell, you will have a record of all work done to give the buyer.

Source: A long forgotten tip

By Cricketnc from Parkton, NC

0SharePrintFollow2 Feedbacks

Staple Papers on the Reverse Side

Like most people, I staple papers at the top left corner, text side up. Here is the tip: Turn the pages over (top to bottom) and then staple at the Top-Right corner. Now when you are going through stacks of multipage packets, you will not cut your fingertips on the curved edges of the staple. Using the method above, the back of the pages will have the flat part of the staple for your fingers to touch.

After 20 plus years in accounting firms preparing and collating tax returns, I wondered why my fingers were so cut up at the end of the day. So, one day I just stapled them from the reverse side. Some returns are over 100 pages. I hope this helps. Glad to try to contribute.

By PARKER1981 from Phoenix, AZ

0SharePrintFollowPost Feedback

Scan Your Important Papers

If you have access to a scanner, scan and file on disk all your important papers, such as birth certificates and medical documents that you would be hard pressed to reproduce in a short time. Also, scan in current photos to send to out of state, or out of the country. Keeps the family smiling as they see current photos of junior, or that terrific snow storm you just weathered!

By Patti

0SharePrintFollow1 Feedback

Easy Alphabetizing of Papers or Documents

Both my hubby and I once worked at the Post Office as youngsters. We learned a method there that we still use in everyday life when we have to alphabetize any group of items. The divisions were A-D, E-L, M-R and S-Z.

We make short work of a stack of papers or documents.

By Lynn from Bridgeville, PA

0SharePrintFollowPost Feedback

Organizing With Thrift Store Binders

When I find binders at thrift stores, I pick them up. I find that putting the clear pages in that I have split the long way and sealed with tape over the tops, makes a nice filing system. Inside the filing cabinet, I simply bulldog clip the binder to the slats that I have taken from hanging files I can't use anymore.

Then I put documents such as recipes, crafts, insurance papers, etc. inside the binder. It slides inside just like the hanging files do, and last a lot longer! Hope this helps!

By Sandra from Salem, OR

0SharePrintFollow2 Feedbacks

Binder For Important School Papers

I keep a three ring binder with my kids' school papers that I will need for future reference. For example: medication permit forms, schedule of events, concert announcements, classroom parties, etc. I always know where to look for the information I need.

By June S.

0SharePrintFollow1 Feedback

Using Vintage Doll House as Paper Organizer

For the vintage little girl in all of us, use your old, err I mean, vintage open backed multi-storied doll house as a paper organizer on your desk. Looks cute and each "room" can be labeled or decorated accordingly.

By The Recycle Queen from Zionsville, IN

0SharePrintFollow5 Feedbacks

Different Briefcase for Each Organization

If you are involved in many different kinds of organizations or work committees, sometimes it is helpful to have a different briefcase for each function. This helps me be ready for meetings with the relevant information at hand.

As an example: I have one briefcase for my school committee involvement. All the information is always there together, and ready to go. I do the same with work, having one for each work commitment. It is a filing system that helps to keep me be organized.

By Bellevillelady from Belleville, Ontario, Canada

0SharePrintFollow2 Feedbacks

Share Your Feedback: Once you try any of the above solutions, be sure to come back and give a "thumbs up" to the solution that worked the best for you. Do you have a better solution? Click "Share a Solution" above!

Questions

Here are questions related to Organizing Important Papers.

Storing Important Papers

Tips for storing important papers. Post your ideas.

SharePrintFollow1 Feedback

Most Recent Answer

By ThriftyFun04/16/2005

Need a place to store important papers? Take a binder and put in page protectors. Just slide your papers into the page protectors. You can get dividers and have separate sections for certain items.
ie: bills, pay stubs etc.

By Tori

Organizing Important Papers

I can't find a file labeling system that works for me. I can't find my important papers when needed. Does anyone have any filing system ideas for me?

By Wendy

SharePrintFollow4 Feedbacks

Most Recent Answer

By Melody (Guest Post)12/07/2004

I file our household papers the same way I file the company books. Bills that are reacuring always have their own folder and are labeled accordingly ei. Phone, gas, power ect. Have a file at the back for misc. bills that you still need to keep but don't have a place for them. All the monthly bills are at the front of the filing cabinet and I have the income tax, paystubs, ROE's at the back(because they are important). Remember you always file with the newest bill at the front. If you don's have a filing cabinet you can always use an accordian file.

Scanning Software for Organizing Household Papers

I have a lot of papers and they are driving me crazy! I am looking for a system where I can scan old bills, papers, etc. into, that would organize as well. Any suggestions? I am looking for the least expensive method. My husband said that our scanner would take way too long.

Thank you!

By D from Colorado Springs, CO

SharePrintFollow1 Feedback

Most Recent Answer

By Suntydt06/29/2012

Well the first thing I thought of when I read you scanner was the NeatDesk Organiser I've seen advertised on TV http://www.usatoday.com/tech/column ... ig/2008-11-05-neatdesk-scanner_N.htm

Then I read an article that said for the money you are better off with the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 http://lawyerist.com/review-scansnap-s1500-document-scanner/

Another reslut in my search found a site that talked about 3 ways to organize papers and had additional links, I'll let you read all about it http://financialsoft.about.com/od/m ... s/tp/receipt_management_software.htm

Previous: Organizing Receipts

Next: Keeping Records of Paid Bills