Creative filing system increases organization and saves space

The first week of the 30-step path to financial wellness is all about getting organized.  Financial experts agree that it is important to eliminate financial clutter because it can block progress toward a clear financial path. Plus, the cost of clutter can be tremendous as well if you forget to pay bills on time, can’t find the needed paperwork to secure a loan, or subject yourself to identity theft when you accidently throw out important paperwork. If your desk is less than organized, I have a great simple solution for you.

I was watching the Today Show recently when a woman showed how you can organize your kitchen pantry using a low-cost over-the-door shoe holder—it was brilliant. So I thought it might be a good idea to take that concept into the home office.

I bought a clear plastic shoe holder for $7.99—about the same price that you’d pay for a package of file folders. It’s got space for 24 shoes, or in this case, 24 categories of paperwork. I labeled each of the pockets starting with ‘bills to be paid.’

I also labeled pockets with the months of the year. I put receipts for purchases I made during the month in their respective pockets. Now when I need a receipt to return something, I don’t have to shuffle through a year’s worth of papers that have been carelessly shoved into a shoebox.

I also created labels for donation receipts—one for cash donations and one for donations of items such as used clothing and furniture. There is also a special pocket for paperwork related to medical expenses. These pockets will be very helpful when it comes time to do my taxes.

Another pocket is for miscellaneous paperwork, such as a permission slip my daughter needs to attend the next field trip. You might also want to create pockets for paystubs.

If you have pockets left over, be sure to put them to good use! One could hold stamps, one could hold extra envelopes, and another could carry a calculator. You could even use one to collect the extra change that you’ve got weighing down your pockets.

If you’re the creative type, why not make the very most of your new storage solution by writing down a financial goal or two and taping it to the top?

I really love this organization strategy because it is so easy to maintain. Documents are in clear sight, but out of the way. And it saves me a ton of storage space—something that my old house is severely lacking.