Ask Slashdot: How Do You File Paper Documents At Home?

swamp boy writes "How do you file paper documents at home? I'm mostly asking about things like monthly paper-based statements that get mailed to you (credit cards, gas cards, medical bills, health insurance explanation of benefits, electricity bill, natural gas bill, water bill, etc.). Do you push to have as many sent electronically as possible? Do you scan the paper documents to store electronically and then shred the paper document? How do you manage and organize the ones stored electronically? I've been doing this the old-fashioned way with manila file folders, but as time goes by I keep thinking that I should opt for digital storage. What works for you?"

Comments

Geeky method

[Compaqt]

Get a sequential numbering stamp, stamp your documents, and file them in order.

Then keep info about them in a database, inputting both the unique number, and free-form tags about the document.

Re:Geeky method

[synaptik]

Better yet, use a binary tree. On each piece of paper, punch 1 hole at the top-center, and also a hole at both the left and right bottom corners. Tie a small length of string through the top hole, and then tie the other end of that string to the left-or-right hole of the appropriate parent paper, based on your key sorting criteria. Don't forget to rebalance the tree on occasion.

For added fun, use different colors of string for different search keys. This way you can end up with multiple binary trees, all sharing the same nodes!

Piles

[crumbz]

Lots of them. All over the house. It's a mess.

File Cabinet and Electronic

[moehoward]

I follow IRS rules and keep 7 years of documents. When possible, I have bills electronically sent to me and I simply file them in folders in G-mail.

Each January, I create a new set of file folders (physical) that mirror the previous year's folder structure. Then, I shred the files from 8 years ago. Takes an entire hour. My files for current year and past year are in the top drawer of a 4-drawer file cabinet. The other 5 years' stuff is stored 2 drawers down. The 2nd drawer holds things like insurance info and instructions/directions (indirections??) for house-hold "stuff". The bottom drawer is for home-owners stuff, personal stuff. etc.

My work files are stored under my desk in a double-drawer horizontal filing cabinet. It holds all things work-related. But, the top drawer closest to me holds anything that is currently going on in my life, so that I have instant access when I get phone calls, e-mails, etc. On top of that, I have an organizer on my desk that holds really, really current stuff that would include stuff that I will be working with on any given day.

I have been doing this for years, and it works, as long as you keep a maintenance routine. Easy habits to get into and I am never searching through piles like I see others doing. My desk stays neat and organized and I always have what I need for any day right in front of me.

Being organized like this is essential to increasing personal productivity and producing quality work.

It is stupidly easy, but I would say that maybe less than 5% of people can achieve a high-level of organization.

Your question might come across as dumb to other slashdotters, but I find it incredibly relevant.

Re:Is digitising such a good idea?

[Anonymous Coward]

Not true -- many large corporations have scanned and destroyed large collections of legal documents, and their lawyers are fine with it. Electronic copies scanned with an appropriate process are even considered legal by the IRS (see this IRS publication for details, page 9 http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-irbs/irb97-13.pdf )

Re:Is digitising such a good idea?

[jedidiah]

> WIth thermal printed receipts, if you don't have a scanned or photocopied copy of the receipt, in 2 years, it's likely that all you'll have a blank piece of paper

Thermal receipts can actually fade much faster than that. They might not even last long enough to be used for tax purposes.

I started scanning all of my important receipts over this very issue.