Keep Your Files Organized

Tips to organize files in real-space

If you have a system that isn't working, it's probably because it is not the system outlined below. Simplicity of effectiveness is vital for a real-space filing system.

To organize files in real-space it should take no more than 1 minute to add so me thing new to your system and no more than 30 seconds to retrieve something.

Organize Files - Preparation:
Get a large sturdy metal filing cabinet.
Get box files and card files.
Get an electric label maker.
Chuck out hanging file guides.

Organize Files - Implementation:
1. Grab a card file as soon as you have paper work that you want to reference for later use.
2. Create a label with the electric label maker with a word/phrase that very obviously identifies what the
papers are about.
3. Put the labeled file in your filing cabinet in A to Z order.

Maintenance of Organized Files:
On computer start a file listing everything that's in your real-space filing cabinet from A to Z.
Keep your computer file updated by occasionally flicking through your filing cabinet (it will take less than 10
minutes) to check for items that are not on your computer file and adding anything new.

Consider that if you currently have trouble keeping on top of the way you organize files it's probably because the way you have been doing until now is not this simple strategy. The approach outlined above is purposely extremely simple. It really works to do it like this.

With that technique for how to organize files in real-space dealt with, we can now think about your way to organize files on your computer.

Tips to organize files on computer

Experience with clients has taught me that often someone has more clutter on computer than in their home or office.

The computer can be a source of great enjoyment and productivity if you organize files on it well. I realize that it doesn't take up any real space in your
home or office, which is probably why people let it get so bad, but I found that it effects my clients satisfaction and productivity immensely.

Sure there are plenty of manuals on using the computer but I discovered that there was no simple, straightforward explanation of keeping on top of where everything on computer is. So I created an approach that I show my clients and here is the basics of it.

Is it frustrating or even somewhat anxiety provoking sometimes to approach the computer? Such feelings are caused by thinking of the amount of time it will take to find what you want whilst half-thinking that it really shouldn't be so out of hand.

Well we're about to turn things around. Get into the habit of creating folders on your computer for various topics. Put everything relevant to each topic into the appropriate folder.

Create more folders within existing topic folders for sub-topics. E.g. You might create a folder called Health. In that you might have folders for Diet,
Exercise, Sleep.

Spend time on that process and you will finally feel that you can organize files on your computer very very well indeed.