How the Three-File System Works to Save You Time and Simplify Your Life

Paper.

It's everywhere. And unless you have a simple system for "processing" it, it can overrun your office, kitchen, and home.

Before I discovered the three-file system, I had all kinds of files... maybe twenty or thirty of them, all with a different label.

Every month, I'd go through all the mail and bills and file the statements. Every piece of paper went into a separate file. Which meant I was touching dozens of files every month. Filing paperwork took way too much time, and I didn't like it.

Enter the three-file system. I can't remember where or when I heard about it. But I finally got so desperate (my study was beginning to look like a storage archive minus the filing boxes), I decided to give it a try.

Here's how to set up your three-file system.
Get three hanging file folders and put them in your filing cabinet.
Label the first one "File #1"
Label the second one "File #2"
Label the third one "File #3"
Get a small mail organizer and place it where you open the mail.

Okay, when you've completed each of these steps, you're ready to begin using the system. Here's how it works...

Whenever you get the mail, adopt a one-touch policy. Either throw it away, shred it, or file it in your mail center. (I put statements in the large slot of the mail center and place payment slips with their envelopes into the small slot. I organize the bills according to when they must be paid.)

Now, do this for the entire month. When the month is over, take all the statements and file them in Folder #1.

During the second month, you will open and process the mail the same way. Then, at the end of the month, you will take all the statements and place them in File #1. All the paperwork already in File #1 gets moved to File #2.

During the third month, repeat the process. At the end of the month, all the paperwork in File #2 goes to File #3. File #1 goes to File #2. And all the paperwork in the mail center goes in File #1.

Got it?

During the fourth month, repeat the process again. Except this time, the paperwork in File #3 goes to the shredder. Or at least most of it. If there's something you must save for tax records or for a longer period of time, simply create a folder to store the "exceptions."

Here's what the three-folder system does. It simplifies your life and saves you boatloads of time. Instead of touching dozens of files every month, you only touch one or two. There's no separating or sorting. Five minutes and you're done.

I've been using the three-file system for about half a year now and I wonder... why didn't I do this sooner? Paperwork is a breeze now. The paper beast has been tamed.

Your action item: Go set up your three-file system now and begin using it immediately. It'll be one of the best organizational improvements you make all year.

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Vertical File Storage System Saves Space - A Case Study

Whether as an investment or an existing floor plan, space may well be the final frontier. To free more working space in a bustling Los Angeles office, one facility manager introduced a new filing and storage system that not only saved space, it improved filing efficiency and streamlined document retrieval in one of the busiest investment property offices in southern California.

Amy Martin, owner of Universal Property Investments, identified improvements that needed to be made in the office. "Our building really stands out. It has a very modern, very 'today' kind of look," said Martin, "and we wanted the interior to work as well. We looked at our working area, our common areas, the general floor plan and the ergonomic factors we needed to incorporate into the floor plan to make sure the filing system worked well for everyone," she explained. Martin considered a variety of alternatives to conserve working space and turned to vertical file storage systems.

Martin first learned about vertical file storage systems while attending a trade show in Las Vegas last year. "We purchased a vertical file. It greatly reduced the amount of space we were using for filing. Now we can file the same number of blueprints and maps in less than half the space," said Martin. "Space saving was a major consideration in selecting the system," she added. "The compact filing system not only stores more of the documents we use on a day to day basis, but it also improves our filing efficiency."

A single vertical storage unit has the capacity to hold the same number of documents as three 5-drawer flat files, all the while taking up nearly 75 percent less floor space. Traditional filing and storage systems were designed for letter or legal-size documents. Through the years, large drawings, maps and charts have been stored in flat files or pigeon holes. One vertical file holds the same number of documents as three 5-drawer flat files, and requires 75 percent less space. Users find that they can save an average of 68 percent in the time it takes to retrieve and store drawings.

Improving efficiency was also a primary concern for Martin. "Filing took too much time. When you needed to get to the bottom drawing, you had to go through every other layout. It was even harder to put everything back where it was'. Martin continued, "Vertical file storage saves us a lot of time and keeps everything organized. Everything is accessible, easy to get to and very well protected," she said. "The system offers us greater protection for our documents. They can be safely stored on hanger strips, which eliminate the need to touch them. We can even give the special documents added protection by using a protective envelope, which easily slides in and out of the cabinets," said Martin.

"Without a doubt, vertical file storage systems are an efficient and ergonomically friendly filing and storage system," said Martin. "The vertical cabinets are the perfect solution for storing our maps, property diagrams, architectural documents, and pretty much any other document imaginable. The files hold anything from 11 inches up to 6 feet in size, and this system is highly versatile".

"By transferring files into a compact, smaller footprint, we were able to free up a great deal of space. Our one vertical file stores the same number of documents as three 5-drawer flat files and takes less space. We transferred all of the blueprints and floor plans into the new system with room to spare. Because it has a smaller footprint than our old filing system, it saves us a lot of working space," she said. "I can't get over how easy it is to use," she said. "I find it to be much easier to look up specific blueprints and refer to documents quickly." This is no surprise, considering this system takes an average time of 10 seconds to retrieve documents.

"Vertical files are extremely versatile," said Amy. "Almost any size and type of document or material may be stored in sequence including blueprints, maps, film, artwork and digital media. Vertical file storage systems offer identification and color coded accessories to make locating and sorting much faster. Dividers separate projects for further organization. All of the cabinets are fitted with a lock for additional security".

Brad Barrett

Brad Barrett is President of Easi File, the storage and filing systems company based in Irvine, California. Easi File manufacturers and sells vertical steel filing cabinets for storing engineering and architectural blueprints, documents, maps, film, printed circuit artwork and tape-ups. Various styles are available from sizes 11 inches up through 6 feet with all supplies to meet individual needs in industrial, commercial, and federal government applications. Easi File is a qualified GSA Supplier. For information on Easi File storage and filing systems, visit online at http://www.easifileusa.com or call 1-800-800-5563. Or, contact Brad Barrett at Email: info@easifileusa.com

5 Steps to an Effective and High Quality Filing System

What do you need to have a really effective and high quality home filing system? Well there are only 5 steps and you should be up and running in no time.

A fresh start

Start with a completely empty filing cabinet or box system. Insert a number of the hanging file folders into the cabinet or box.

For a professional and organized look, we suggest you colour coordinate your filing folders, by either using only one colour for all folders or using one colour for each high level category. There are five major categories, so if you use different colours for each major category.

You can be very creative in making your labels. These you can either print in colour coordinated colours for each major category or even print or write them in a fancy font. Let your imagination go. However, ensure that the labels are readable; else if you can't find what you're looking for, you may very quickly stop your filing efforts and be back with your pile of unfiled items.

Enable your labels

Now, start by making labels and sticking them on the file folder inserts or write your labels onto the file folders. Ensure that the labels are in a prominent viewing area, i.e. right at the top of your folder, so that you can easily find any folder you are looking for.

Here you can be very creative in how you create or write your labels, as long as you ensure that it is readable. This will ensure that you can find whatever folder you are looking for, very easily.

Fill 'em up

Once you have labeled all your file folder inserts, the next step is to insert these into the hanging file folders. As a start do not add more than 5 inserts into each hanging file folder.

For certain categories, you may require more space than others. As you begin to do your filing you will notice that certain hanging file folders are getting very full. In this case, all you will have to do is to insert another hanging file folder in behind the one that is full and move the back file insert or two into the new hanging file folder. Please ensure that you still keep everything in alphabetical order to allow finding your filed items quickly and effectively.

Please remember that certain categories may be containing more information than others and therefore will occupy the whole of a hanging file folder, where as others may be able to fit five file inserts into a hanging file folder.

The most important thing to member is that you must always keep your filing inserts in alphabetical order, else finding anything is going to become a nightmare and near impossible.

Now for the real thing

When your file inserts have been labeled and inserted into hanging file folders, the actual filing is about to start. A suggestion is to gather all the items you want to file and place them in one place near the filing cabinet / boxes. This will make it easier and quicker to get your filing complete.

A first the mountain of paper may seem to be impossible to finish, but do be discourage. Set aside only 30 minutes or an hour at a time to do your filing and soon your "to be filed" pile will disappear.

As you start to file, take one item at a time and decide if it really needs to be filed or can it be discarded. If you cannot decide immediately, do not file it. Put it aside and when all filing and discarding has been completed, come back to this pile and review. Hopefully by then you have a better idea if the item should really be filed or discarded.

Before you know it, your "Pile to file" will be gone and everything will have its rightful place in your filing cabinet.

Sit back and relax

By now you should be finished and have implemented a very effective and high quality filing system. All that is left now is to do your filing on a regular basis and keep everything up to date.

Congratulations on a job well done!

Petrus Keyter

http://www.pankey.co.za

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Turn Your Filing System into a "Finding System"

o Are you spending too much time shuffling paper?
o Are you confident that you can find what you need in case of an IRS audit?
o Are you missing opportunities because you don't have the information you need?
o Can you find the information in your office if you're partner is not there?
o Does your office reflect the quality of goods and services you offer your customers?
Information is power - if you can find it when you need it. Unfortunately, in many offices it's easier to find information in cyberspace than in the office. Ironically, the only thing in the office that technology has not changed is how we manage paper. Today's filing systems look very similar to what Thomas Jefferson used - only there are more of them, and most of them don't work!
If you suffer from severe paper frustration, my prescription is an effective filing system. It will enable you to invest more time with your customers and be better prepared each time, and you'll have more time to spend with your family and friends. You can approach each day with less anxiety, knowing where to put each new piece of information as it arrives, confident that you can find what you need exactly when you need it!
If you have a filing system that is not working, your best bet is to clean out your most accessible file drawer and start over by filing new papers as you get them. As you need a paper from your old system, incorporate it into the new system. After one year, put the remaining papers from the old system into less accessible space (off-site storage, garage, attic) -- or into the trashcan or recycling bin.
There are three components to an effective filing system:
(1) Mechanics,
(2) Management and
(3) Maintenance.
If any of the components is weak, your filing system will be am on-going frustration instead of a valuable resource.
Filing Mechanics One of the major reasons we procrastinate about filing is that it is simply too time-consuming. Here are some tips for quick and easy filing:
o As soon as your file cabinet is too full to easily add new papers, remove old papers or buy new filing cabinets.
o File papers directly into hanging files. If you take individual papers directly from the file, you do not need a manila file inside. (I know that takes of lots of file folders! Do you want a system that works?)
o If you need to take the entire file out of the file cabinet, create a hanging file and a manila file with the same label. Returning the manila file to the proper location will be a snap.
o Put the plastic file tabs on the front of the file folder. When you grab the plastic tab and pull forward, you have created the space in the front of the file to drop the new piece of paper - and removing old papers from the back of the file folder will be easy.
o Use color to tell a story you want to tell (not just the color of the file that was available the day you made the file!). Files with tax information, for example, can be easily identified with red dots on the label. Don't make the color system too complicated to maintain.
o Use staples instead of paper clips. Paper clips catch on papers and cause misfiling and sloppy files.
File Management
One of the major frustration sources of frustration about filing is deciding what to call a file. For example, the same information can be filed under "car," "automobile," "Chrysler," or "vehicle." And what happens when you want to file the insurance policy for the car? Does it go in "Insurance - Car" or "Car Insurance?" It doesn't matter - as long as you are consistent, but human beings are rarely consistent. And the chances that two human beings who share a file will think of the same word when looking for information is highly unlikely!
The solution to this frustration is a File Index - a list of the names of your files. Then, before you make a new file, you can check the File Index to see if an appropriate file already exists. You can use a word processing program to create this index. Print out a copy and keep it at the desk where you work. When you add a new file, handwrite the changes on the File Index, and periodically update the list in the your computer and print out a new copy.
A revolution new option for managing your files is also now available: Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger (www.thepapertiger.com). This software program allows you to keep your information in paper form in your filing cabinet, automatically cross-reference the information, and use the incredible search power of the computer to find anything in your files in five seconds or less - regardless of who filed it! The software will also print file labels and a File Index automatically.
File Maintenance
Regardless of the management or mechanics techniques you use, all filing systems have to be maintained. But there is good news! There are only two steps required to maintain any filing system indefinitely:
(1) Make sure that the File Index is a living document - a perfect reflection of the names of the files in your cabinet. If you add a new file, add it to the File Index, and when you remove a file, delete it.
(2) Clean out your file when the cabinet gets too full for easy filing.
If you're having difficulty managing your paper, you're not alone! Research shows the average person spends 150 hours per year - almost one month - looking for misplaced information. Yet, 80% of what we keep we never use - frequently because we can't find it. An effective filing system will save you time and money and missed opportunities. Start your system today and stop the frustration!







? Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.ProductiveEnvironment.com

Designing an Effective Filing System

I see it over and over again with my organizing clients -- they've tried to set up a filing system at home or work. And for a few days, weeks, or maybe even months, it works okay. But then something happens, and they stop filing. It's too hard to remember where things go. Or they can't find their files again once they've stashed them away. They may end up with three or four files that contain the same information but are labeled differently - because they couldn't remember if it was called "auto" or "car" or Honda," so they just made a new file each time! Eventually, they end up abandoning the filing system altogether, and just stack their paper around the room - "At least that way I can see it all!"
If I had a nickel for every time I have witnessed this scenario, I'd be sitting on a beach in the South Pacific right now. So what causes the downfall of a filing system? Chances are, it wasn't much of a "system" to begin with. More likely, it was just a RANDOM ASSORTMENT of individual files that really had no connection to each other -- aside from the fact that they lived in the same drawer.
KNOWING WHERE TO START
To create a truly effective filing system, you need to start with a PLAN -- simply slapping a label on a file isn't going to get you the results you want. So roll up your sleeves as I take you through a systematic and proven method for setting up a fool-proof filing system. You will need to make sure that you have a few supplies on hand before we begin. Pick up some:
- hanging file folders (your choice of letter or legal sized),
- some interior manila file folders (get the ones that sit flush with the top of the hanging file),
- some clear plastic hanging file tabs (1/5 cut), and
- at least 4 different colors of colored plastic hanging file tabs (1/5 cut -- get several packages of each).
Okay, let's get started:
THE INVERTED PYRAMID
Organizing paper is like an inverted pyramid -- you want to start with the general and work your way toward the more specific. So let's begin this grand adventure by "broadening" your filing horizons. Look at your current filing system (or that pile of paper that you've been meaning to file for months) and start sorting your documents into BROAD CATEGORIES. "Financial paperwork" might be one. "House stuff" could be another. At this point, we're not focusing on detail -- quite frankly, I don't care if it's a credit card bill or a bank statement right now. We'll worry about those distinctions in our next step. Have you got all of your paper sorted? And make sure to LABEL each pile with a sticky note or a piece of colored paper -- so you don't forget your categories.
Now, for each category, create a clear hanging file tab (you know, you write on the paper label and stick it inside the plastic tab). Get your hanging file folders out -- you will need to put your hanging file tab on the front of the folder in the FAR LEFT position (just slip the wings of the tab into the slots on the file. Why the front of the folder, you ask? When your folders are in the drawer and you need to open a file, you can grab the tab and use it as a handle for opening the file. It's easier and quicker (13%, according to the Pendaflex people) and you won't accidentally pull the tab off. Okay, are all your tabs in place? Put your folders in the file drawer in alphabetical order, and let's move on.
SUBCATEGORIZING IS KEY
Pick one of your piles -- any pile -- and let's sort through it again. This time, I want you to think about breaking your large category up into SUBCATEGORIES. For example, your "Finances" pile could be divided into "savings account," "checking account," "student loan," "Visa," etc. This is similar to the last sorting exercise, but I would like for you to be very specific about your subcategories. Don't tell me that they are "bank statements" - tell me which account they belong to. Don't just call your file "credit cards" -- create a separate folder for each card. We don't want any files "bunking" with other files -- everyone gets his or her own separate folder. Go ahead and label your piles -- but we're going to talk a little bit more about labeling before you create tabs for these.
LABEL, LABEL, WHO'S GOT THE LABEL?
Labeling is both a skill and an art. So you want your file labels to uniquely express how you view your files -- but you also want to follow some very basic labeling RULES. That probably sounds like a contradiction to you, but I assure you it's not. I believe in using the whole brain -- we're going to be both logical and creative at the same time. The creative part is where you choose the phrasing for your labels that intuitively makes the most sense to you - like the fact that you prefer to call a file "job qualifications" rather than "resume." The logical part involves the idea that you want your filing system to be simple enough that a three-year old can use it. We're not trying to create a complex warren of folder that only you understand how to maneuver. Okay, enough waxing philosophic on the topic of labels -- let's get down to it!
When creating your labels, start with a noun rather than an adjective. Don't tell me you are filing paperwork for "past clients" -- call them "clients: past". In this way, you are moving from general ("clients") to specific ("past"). And when you arrange your folders alphabetically, all of the "client" files -- "clients: past" / "clients: current" / "clients: prospective" -- will be together in the drawer, rather than scattered hither and yon. Our goal is to keep related files in close proximity to each other. And the same applies to any descriptor -- "test scores: Megan)" / "test scores: Nancy" / "test scores: Shawn" -- or "maintenance records: Honda" / "maintenance records: Volvo" -- it doesn't have to be an adjective.
Also, try to avoid vague and nebulous categories like "miscellaneous" or "other." It may take a little effort, but 99% of the time, you can think of a specific category that encompasses that document. If you end up with a bunch of files that only have one or two pieces of paper in them, you are being too specific -- go with a broader category. But if your piles are 100 pages thick, you need to break those stacks up into smaller categories. We want to strike a nice balance -- not so many folders that you can't remember where you put something, but not so many papers in a folder that you can't find the specific document you need.
COLOR ME ORGANIZED!
Now, we want to incorporate all of those subcategories into your system of alphabetized major categories. And, we're going to create a COLOR-CODED filing system, with each major category assigned its own color. Find the first folder in your file drawer -- let's pretend that your major category is "automobile" -- and gather up all of the subcategory piles that go with that header. What color do you associate with your automobile? If you don't associate it with any color, just arbitrarily pick one -- how about red? You are going to label a red plastic hanging file tab for each subcategory that relates to your automobile.
How many subcategories do you have for "automobile" -- three? Then get two hanging file folders with no label on them and put them in the drawer DIRECTLY BEHIND the one labeled "automobile." Pick up your first red tab -- perhaps this one is labeled "car payment". This tab goes on the front of the first folder in the MIDDLE of the folder -- a few slots over from the white "automobile" label. Now get your second tab -- it might be labeled "maintenance." This tab will go on the front of the second folder three slots to the right of where you put the first red tab. The third red tab ("tags and registration") goes on the front of the third folder in the far right position -- exactly opposite of where you put the white tabs.
When you are done, your red tabs should be in alphabetical order in a STAGGERED position on the right of the folder, so that you can see every label clearly. Now you can put your automobile papers in their appropriate folders.
Repeat this exercise with each major category -- pick a color for the category, make your labels, and put them on the folders in alphabetical order and lined up with the first three labels. If you have more than three subcategories to label, just keep repeating the position of the tabs -- 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3. And it doesn't matter what color you assign to what category, as long as no two categories that are touching use the same color tabs. When you are done, you should see four things. First, you have a row of major categories running down the far left side of your files. Second, you have subcategory labels staggered along the right side of your files, but all in ALIGNMENT with each other. Third, your files are now broken up into distinct bodies of information, separated out by color. And fourth, your files are alphabetized -- first by major category and then by subcategory.
THE CARE AND FEEDING OF YOUR SYSTEM
So how does this system help you to file papers quicker and easier? Instead of opening your drawer and sorting through a sea of files to find the right one, you can put your hands on the folder you want almost instantly. You just run down the row of MAJOR CATEGORIES until you find the right one -- so if you're trying to file your Visa bill, you would look for "credit cards" or "finances" or something like that. Once you've located the right major category, you just slide over to the appropriate color-coded SUBCATEGORIES.
Instead of choosing one of 300 files, you may only have to look through three or four before you find the one that is labeled "Visa." And the same is true when you are trying to find a document in a file. You can make things even easier if you create a file index that lists all of your major categories and the subcategories within them, in alphabetical order. That way, you don't even have to open the drawer to know where to find a piece of paper.
But remember that your filing system is a dynamic and ever-changing creature. As your interests and responsibilities change, so should your filing system. Don't be afraid to abandon a category if you don't use it anymore -- or to add a new one if you need it. Consolidate folders that seem to go together under one larger heading, and split categories up into smaller pieces if your folders get too stuffed. And you should plan to set aside time at least once a year to purge the old and obsolete information from your files. If you follow these simple (but detailed!) instructions, your filing system will serve you well for the rest of your life.







Ramona Creel is Professional Organizer, NAPO Golden Circle Member, and the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com. A former Social Worker, she has always enjoyed helping people find the resources and solutions they need to improve their lives.
Ramona now travels the country as a full-time RVer, sharing her story of simplicity with everyone she meets. She leads by example -- having worked for more than 10 years as a Professional Organizer, and having radically downsized and simplified her own life as a full-time RVer. Ramona now considers herself a "Renaissance Woman" -- bringing all of her passions together into one satisfying career.
As "The Traveling Organizer", she can create a customized organizing plan for your home or office, or teach your group the "Ten Steps To Organizing Any Area Of Your Life" in a workshop. As a "Simplicity Coach", Ramona provides a proven program for making every area of your life a little bit easier -- perfect for those who want to make the time and space to focus on their true priorities. As a "Frugality Coach," she can teach you how to quickly reduce your household expenses, in good economic times or bad.
As a Professional Photographer, Ramona captures powerful images of places and people as she travels. And as a freelance writer and blogger, she shares organizing techniques, social commentary, travel tips, and film reviews with others. You can see all these sides of Ramona -- read her articles, browse through her photographs, and even hire her to help get your life in order -- at http://www.RamonaCreel.com.

How To Create An Organized Filing System

Introduction
The test of a good filing system is being able to find something when you need it, regardless of how you choose to organize it. However, there are two basic approaches to setting up a filing system:
· Establish categories for like items by subject (e.g., Hobbies)
· Establish an index based system with files identified numerically by item (e.g., File 1=Document 1)
You can choose the method that makes the most intuitive sense to you. People who have trouble categorizing may feel more comfortable with the indexing approach. Regardless of which type of system you choose, if you feel overwhelmed about where to start, pick a group of papers in any pile. It does not matter where you start.....you just need to start with a manageable subset of paper.
Active files are those which you must access regularly. Historic files are those that it is unlikely you will need to access, but which you must keep for record retention purposes (i.e., tax files). Your inactive files should not be kept in your active file space, if file cabinet space is limited. These files can be stored in boxes in an out of the way location (since you should not be accessing these files regularly). To create your active files, follow the steps outlined below.
Organizing By Category
Step 1 Sort & Discard
Review your papers and discard any papers you no longer need to keep. If you feel unsure about discarding an item, in order to make the decision easier, ask yourself what's the worst thing that could happen if you throw it away? It helps to put things in perspective.
When you decide to keep a paper, sort the paper into various categories/piles. Use post-it notes to label the top page of each pile until a permanent file location/category name is established later.
Use categories that are broad for sorting. For example, if you have lots of information on various leisure interests, you can create a hanging file called "Leisure" (vs. creating a hanging file for every type of leisure topic in your papers).
If you have a major hobby such as photography, for which you collect a lot of information, create a separate hanging folder named "Photography". This makes more sense (so that the "leisure" file won't become too unwieldy).
You can create multiple interior file folders that reside within the hanging file folder, each labeled with the category sub-topic. This makes it easier to search by sub-topic. For example, within the "Leisure" hanging file category you might have file folders for the sub-categories of Art, Music & Reading.
Step 2: Determine Quantity Files Needed
Once you are finished sorting, count and double check the number of "piles" you have to keep. The number of piles equals the number of hanging file folders you will need for your active files. You should buy a minimum of the same number of interior file folders to insert inside the hanging file folders (more if you will have some categories with multiple sub-topics).
Step 3: Identifying/Labeling the Files
Create a set of hanging file folders and associated interior file folder(s) for each pile and its sub-categories.
In order to maintain the transition from active to historic status at the end of each year, the interior files should be labeled by subject and current year (e.g., Life Insurance 2004). This dating approach is best for those categories that involve monthly statements or bills.
For your hanging folders that do contain dated material, it is best to keep static papers that don't change from year to year in front of the interior folders (e.g., the life insurance policy versus the quarterly invoices). This will make it easy to transition files from active to historical status at year end.
Step 4: Estimate file cabinet size
Once you put the appropriate papers in the files, you can get a sense of how many file cabinet drawers you will need. Using a single "Bankers Box" (heavy corrugated storage box) to stand the files up to measure the inches in depth needed is very helpful. These boxes are available at office supply stores, and also will serve later for inactive storage purposes).
The total number of depth inches you have equates to the number of file
drawers you will need in the file cabinet. Be sure to measure the depth of any file cabinet drawers you may be thinking of buying to ensure you'll have enough space (allowing at least 4 inches in each drawer's clearance for sliding & viewing files.
Maintaining the System Annually
At the end of the year, transfer the past year's interior files to inactive storage. Keep the same hanging file folder in place, and create a new set of interior file folders labeled with the New Year. Keep the "static materials inside the hanging file folders from the past year.
Suggested Category Headings

Automobile
Children
Computer
Credit Cards:


Mastercard
Visa
Am Ex
Discover

Education

Employer

Frequent Flyer Program

Fitness

Hobbies

Holidays

Life Insurance

Renter's or Home Insurance

Business insurance

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Disability Insurance

Long Term Care Insurance

Mortgage

Retail

Services

Legal

Finances
Stocks
Bonds
401K

Subscriptions

Taxes

Travel

Utilities

Warranties
Index Based Organizing
Step 1: Discard & Pile
Review your papers and discard any papers you no longer need to keep. For the papers you need to keep, sort your papers into a single pile (no need to categorize).
Step 2: Create the File Index
For each one of these papers or related group of papers (if that relationship is very obvious to you), you will create a numerical file. You will then record File #1's contents in an excel log (or other computerized tool) that describes the contents of the file. For example, if I have a utility bill from March 2004, you would make the description "March 2004 Utility Bill". This file description will get assigned a random file number in a pre-identified location (i.e., File #1 in the office filing cabinet). Should you ever need to find this bill again, you would do an Edit/Find search in Excel and enter "March 2004 utility" to find it. The advantage of this approach is it does not rely on categorizing. When your May 2004 bill arrives, you can assign a totally unrelated file # to it.
You can create & record these indexes with Excel or Access by using their search capabilities. There is also a software program called "The Paper Tiger" from The Hemphill Productivity Institute that is designed for this purpose, and it adds some nice bells and whistles (like tracking files that have been pulled out but not put back). There is a free trial offer and tele-class if you are interested (information can be found at their website http://www.thepapertiger.com/.).
The major disadvantage of the indexing approach is that you must maintain many more files in your storage unit, as well as the data base to track them.
Other Filing Tips
· You should have "action" folders for bills to pay, things to do and pending matters. This serves as a holding place for things you have not had time to get to that week, but that still require action on your part. It is also helpful to have a calendar file to keep things needed for events already recorded in your calendar (e.g., directions to event, handouts, etc.)
· You can use color coded folders to visually identify subject categories
· You can alphabetize your file folders by hanging folder tab name, but if you use staggered file tabs, you'll have to redo the order every time you add or delete a subject.
· Pendaflex, a leading manufacturer recommends that files should be no more than ¾" thick. If you need a file with a greater thickness, you can use the "box bottom" hanging folders.
Copyright 2004 - The Organizing Wiz







As The Organizing Wiz, Ilene Drexler works with residential clients in New York City who want to get organized in their home or home offices. She is a member of the industry's leading resources for professional organizing:
? National Association of Professional Organizers
? National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD)
Ilene honed her organizing skills during 20 years working in corporate operations management for various Fortune 500 companies including Disney, Scholastic, Accenture, Random House and McGraw-Hill. Her work there was focused on redesigning & streamlining operational processes, as well as helping project teams to be more organized.
Ilene earned a certificate of study in Chronic Disorganization from the NSGCD, and has a B.S. in Business Administration. Her ?How To? organizing articles have been published by
My Organized life.com Online Organizing.com Professional Organizers Webring Article City.com GO Articles.com OnlyHer.net

How an Operating System's File System Works

File systems are an integral part of any operating systems with the capacity for long term storage. There are two distinct parts of a file system, the mechanism for storing files and the directory structure into which they are organised. In modern operating systems where it is possible for several user to access the same files simultaneously it has also become necessary for such features as access control and different forms of file protection to be implemented.
A file is a collection of binary data. A file could represent a program, a document or in some cases part of the file system itself. In modern computing it is quite common for their to be several different storage devices attached to the same computer. A common data structure such as a file system allows the computer to access many different storage devices in the same way, for example, when you look at the contents of a hard drive or a cd you view it through the same interface even though they are completely different mediums with data mapped on them in completely different ways. Files can have very different data structures within them but can all be accessed by the same methods built into the file system. The arrangement of data within the file is then decided by the program creating it. The file systems also stores a number of attributes for the files within it.
All files have a name by which they can be accessed by the user. In most modern file systems the name consists of of three parts, its unique name, a period and an extension. For example the file 'bob.jpg' is uniquely identified by the first word 'bob', the extension jpg indicates that it is a jpeg image file. The file extension allows the operating system to decide what to do with the file if someone tries to open it. The operating system maintains a list of file extension associations. Should a user try to access 'bob.jpg' then it would most likely be opened in whatever the systems default image viewer is.
The system also stores the location of a file. In some file systems files can only be stored as one contiguous block. This has simplifies storage and access to the file as the system then only needs to know where the file begins on the disk and how large it is. It does however lead to complications if the file is to be extended or removed as there may not be enough space available to fit the larger version of the file. Most modern file systems overcome this problem by using linked file allocation. This allows the file to be stored in any number of segments. The file system then has to store where every block of the file is and how large they are. This greatly simplifies file space allocation but is slower than contiguous allocation as it is possible for the file to be spread out all over the disk. Modern operating systems overome this flaw by providing a disk defragmenter. This is a utility that rearranges all the files on the disk so that they are all in contiguous blocks.
Information about the files protection is also integrated into the file system. Protection can range from the simple systems implemented in the FAT system of early windows where files could be marked as read-only or hidden to the more secure systems implemented in NTFS where the file system administrator can set up separate read and write access rights for different users or user groups. Although file protection adds a great deal of complexity and potential difficulties it is essential in an enviroment where many different computers or user can have access to the same drives via a network or time shared system such as raptor.
Some file systems also store data about which user created a file and at what time they created it. Although this is not essential to the running of the file system it is useful to the users of the system.
In order for a file system to function properly they need a number of defined operations for creating, opening and editing a file. Almost all file systems provide the same basic set of methods for manipulating files.
A file system must be able to create a file. To do this there must be enough space left on the drive to fit the file. There must also be no other file in the directory it is to be placed with the same name. Once the file is created the system will make a record of all the attributes noted above.
Once a file has been created we may need to edit it. This may be simply appending some data to the end of it or removing or replacing data already stored within it. When doing this the system keeps a write pointer marking where the next write operation to the file should take place.
In order for a file to be useful it must of course be readable. To do this all you need to know the name and path of the file. From this the file system can ascertain where on the drive the file is stored. While reading a file the system keeps a read pointer. This stores which part of the drive is to be read next.
In some cases it is not possible to simply read all of the file into memory. File systems also allow you to reposition the read pointer within a file. To perform this operation the system needs to know how far into the file you want the read pointer to jump. An example of where this would be useful is a database system. When a query is made on the database it is obviously inefficient to read the whole file up to the point where the required data is, instead the application managing the database would determine where in the file the required bit of data is and jump to it. This operation is often known as a file seek.
File systems also allow you to delete files. To do this it needs to know the name and path of the file. To delete a file the systems simply removes its entry from the directory structure and adds all the space it previously occupied to the free space list (or whatever other free space management system it uses).
These are the most basic operations required by a file system to function properly. They are present in all modern computer file systems but the way they function may vary. For example, to perform the delete file operation in a modern file system like NTFS that has file protection built into it would be more complicated than the same operation in an older file system like FAT. Both systems would first check to see whether the file was in use before continuing, NTFS would then have to check whether the user currently deleting the file has permission to do so. Some file systems also allow multiple people to open the same file simultaneously and have to decide whether users have permission to write a file back to the disk if other users currently have it open. If two users have read and write permission to file should one be allowed to overwrite it while the other still has it open? Or if one user has read-write permission and another only has read permission on a file should the user with write permission be allowed to overwrite it if theres no chance of the other user also trying to do so?
Different file systems also support different access methods. The simplest method of accessing information in a file is sequential access. This is where the information in a file is accessed from the beginning one record at a time. To change the position in a file it can be rewound or forwarded a number of records or reset to the beginning of the file. This access method is based on file storage systems for tape drive but works as well on sequential access devices (like mordern DAT tape drives) as it does on random-access ones (like hard drives). Although this method is very simple in its operation and ideally suited for certain tasks such as playing media it is very inefficient for more complex tasks such as database management. A more modern approach that better facilitates reading tasks that aren't likely to be sequential is direct access. direct access allows records to be read or written over in any order the application requires. This method of allowing any part of the file to be read in any order is better suited to modern hard drives as they too allow any part of the drive to be read in any order with little reduction in transfer rate. Direct access is better suited to to most applications than sequential access as it is designed around the most common storage medium in use today as opposed to one that isn't used very much anymore except for large offline back-ups. Given the way direct access works it is also possible to build other access methods on top of direct access such as sequential access or creating an index of all the records of the file speeding to speed up finding data in a file.
On top of storing and managing files on a drive the file system also maintains a system of directories in which the files are referenced. Modern hard drives store hundreds of gigabytes. The file system helps organise this data by dividing it up into directories. A directory can contain files or more directories. Like files there are several basic operation that a file system needs to a be able to perform on its directory structure to function properly.
It needs to be able to create a file. This is also covered by the overview of peration on a file but as well as creating the file it needs to be added to the directory structure.
When a file is deleted the space taken up by the file needs to be marked as free space. The file itself also needs to be removed from the directory structure.
Files may need to be renamed. This requires an alteration to the directory structure but the file itself remains un-changed.
List a directory. In order to use the disk properly the user will require to know whats in all the directories stored on it. On top of this the user needs to be able to browse through the directories on the hard drive.
Since the first directory structures were designed they have gone through several large evolutions. Before directory structures were applied to file systems all files were stored on the same level. This is basically a system with one directory in which all the files are kept. The next advancement on this which would be considered the first directory structure is the two level directory. In this There is a singe list of directories which are all on the same level. The files are then stored in these directories. This allows different users and applications to store there files separately. After this came the first directory structures as we know them today, directory trees. Tree structure directories improves on two level directories by allowing directories as well as files to be stored in directories. All modern file systems use tree structure directories, but many have additional features such as security built on top of them.
Protection can be implemented in many ways. Some file systems allow you to have password protected directories. In this system. The file system wont allow you to access a directory before it is given a username and password for it. Others extend this system by given different users or groups access permissions. The operating system requires the user to log in before using the computer and then restrict their access to areas they dont have permission for. The system used by the computer science department for storage space and coursework submission on raptor is a good example of this. In a file system like NTFS all type of storage space, network access and use of device such as printers can be controlled in this way. Other types of access control can also be implemented outside of the file system. For example applications such as win zip allow you to password protect files.
There are many different file systems currently available to us on many different platforms and depending on the type of application and size of drive different situations suit different file system. If you were to design a file system for a tape backup system then a sequential access method would be better suited than a direct access method given the constraints of the hardware. Also if you had a small hard drive on a home computer then there would be no real advantage of using a more complex file system with features such as protection as it isn't likely to be needed. If i were to design a file system for a 10 gigabyte drive i would use linked allocation over contiguous to make the most efficient use the drive space and limit the time needed to maintain the drive. I would also design a direct access method over a sequential access one to make the most use of the strengths of the hardware. The directory structure would be tree based to allow better organisation of information on the drive and would allow for acyclic directories to make it easier for several users to work on the same project. It would also have a file protection system that allowed for different access rights for different groups of users and password protection on directories and individual files.Several file systems that already implement the features I've described above as ideal for a 10gig hard drive are currently available, these include NTFS for the Windows NT and XP operating systems and ext2 which is used in linux.
Best Regards,
Sam Harnett MSc mBCS
Pixeko Studio - Web Developers in Kent







Sam Harnett MSc mBCS
http://www.pixeko.com