Handling of important documents

[Oldyoung]

Housing, car, bills, subscriptions, banking, insurance, education...

All those things manifest themselves as some kind of document, that you need to hold on to. But I tend to lose control over where I keep all these things. Or I leave them in plain sight, where it creates lots of clutter

How do you guys handle all this paper?

I could need some advice for how to organize these things

(or a woman to do it for me )

 

[ladyforsaken]

I actually have different folders for different types of official documents. It helps. They're colour-coded even.

 

[Oldyoung]

how many folders do you have? I know it's possible to categorize things, and sort them by that, but I'm not sure what those categories should be

 

[ladyforsaken]

how many folders do you have? I know it's possible to categorize things, and sort them by that, but I'm not sure what those categories should be

I think I have one for:
1. Housing
2. Insurance
3. Medical documents x 2
4. Personal documents
5. Certificates
6. Others/Miscellaneous

I might miss out some, these are just the ones I can remember off my head right now. I used to have a folder for bills but now I have a letter holder for it on my desk so that I can remember to pay them on time.

 

[Oldyoung]

Those seem sensible. I might try using the same categories, but with boxes instead of folders.

 

[ladyforsaken]

Good luck, OY!

 

[LonelySutton]

I like Binders. With dividers.

 

[ladyforsaken]

I like Binders. With dividers.

I used to like these? Until they rust. Unless you use plastic sheets in them, but then that means I'd have to spend on those, which I felt was an extra effort lol because I just had way too many things to organise. I think we're thinking the same type here... So I now just go for plastic folders with buttons or flaps and have my own dividers inside. I'd use those pocket folders but I have way too many documents for those as well.

 

[9006]

Paper documents are actually almost obsolete from most major companies now, for example you can call your bank up and tell them to either email your statements or cancel them all together since online banking is so much easier, that goes for most utilities; they tend to have their own online accounts you can log into.

Less paper = less clutter = less waste.

 

[ladyforsaken]

Paper documents are actually almost obsolete from most major companies now, for example you can call your bank up and tell them to either email your statements or cancel them all together since online banking is so much easier, that goes for most utilities; they tend to have their own online accounts you can log into.

Less paper = less clutter = less waste.

That's true. Some places don't do electronically though. Like my medical stuff. Everything is on paper form and there are just so many cos I'd have something every day to file up.

 

[Oldyoung]

Paper documents are actually almost obsolete from most major companies now, for example you can call your bank up and tell them to either email your statements or cancel them all together since online banking is so much easier, that goes for most utilities; they tend to have their own online accounts you can log into.

Less paper = less clutter = less waste.

Indeed. For a lot of government stuff it's very easy to access everything online.

But there are still a lot of things you get on paper. And I'd rather keep it than throwing it away and just assuming you could retrieve that information very easily.

 

[9006]

But there are still a lot of things you get on paper. And I'd rather keep it than throwing it away and just assuming you could retrieve that information very easily.

Well personally I have one of these bad boys to take care of that...

 

[Oldyoung]

Haha.. I've actually considered to get one. I may be paranoid, but having personal information exposed in the garbage bin makes me stay awake at night.

 

[9006]

I'm not so keen on it myself, I used to tear my address off or write over it. I've seen some sort of stamp you can use to stamp over your address so it's unreadable. I thought that would be pretty easy and quick.

 

[Tiina63]

I use folders and categorise according to year.

 

[LonelySutton]

I used to like these? Until they rust.

Humn.. how do they rust? I have the same exact binder I started keeping paperwork with when I was 18. I have recently taken some paperwork that i feel I might need some day -- but probably don't care about the original version of, and scanning them into a file. Such as my final statement from the bank showing my 2nd mortgage was paid off.

I have gotten colored ones to add some pop to my office.

 

[Serephina]

Folders and a filing cabinet,I havd a folder for everything and I sort out the post the day I get it if I can. Most of my bills are now on direct debit and anything that isn't I put aside and pay and then file the paperwork. I have a diary for any appoinments and keep it to hand and write them down as soon as I can because I know I will forget if I don't.

 

[ladyforsaken]

I used to like these? Until they rust.

Humn.. how do they rust? I have the same exact binder I started keeping paperwork with when I was 18. I have recently taken some paperwork that i feel I might need some day -- but probably don't care about the original version of, and scanning them into a file. Such as my final statement from the bank showing my 2nd mortgage was paid off.

I have gotten colored ones to add some pop to my office.

We are probably thinking different ones then. :s

The one I'm thinking has sort of like a metal binder. So they rust over time.

 

[LonelySutton]

ok maybe I should say three ring notebook? Like i used to have for school.

 

[ladyforsaken]

ok maybe I should say three ring notebook? Like i used to have for school.

I see. Are the rings not made of metal of some sort? (Sorry I don't mean to pick on this but just out of curiosity...)