Organizing Paper Files with P.E.A.C.E.
May 29, 2008
By Marlo Nikkila
Paper is one of the biggest issues for people. There is too much of it and it is easy to get behind, often causing people to feel like they are literally drowning.
Following the P.E.A.C.E plan you will be able to reclaim your sanity for current and future paper in your life.
How does that sound?
P = Permission to let go.
Get this…80% of the paper you keep you will never refer to again!
So, you officially have permission to let go! How does that feel? A little scary?
That’s okay, because I am going to ask you to begin with the easy stuff.
Begin with the backlog of old bills, receipts, warranties, recipes, articles, and bank statements. Make sure you have your recycle bin and shredder handy. (wink)
As a quick tip, if you are overwhelmed with all the paper around your desk, turn a pile upside down and start at the bottom. More than likely these papers can be tossed.
E = Evaluate the papers you have.
Sometimes it is out of habit that we continue to file papers we no longer need. Just because there is a file for it, doesn’t mean you have to keep it. The key to evaluating paper is asking the right questions. With better questions comes easier decisions and ultimately less paper!
- Can this paper be found somewhere else?
- Is this a duplicate?
- Have I needed this information before?
- Why am I keeping this in the first place?
- Am I required to keep this? If so, how long?
- What next action is needed?
A = Act on it.
Your piles of paper probably exist because something needs to be done with individual pieces–sign, read, pay, call, research, follow-up, errand, etc.
Am I right?
The best solution is if it takes less than 2 minutes, just do it. If it is going to require more time and energy, go ahead and jot down the info onto your calendar or to-do list and recycle the piece of paper. The paper no longer needs to serve as your reminder. (More permission to let go!)
If you find that the paper really is needed, then I suggest a tickler system or an action book.
C = Contain & Categorize your papers.
The best way to find it in less than 3 minutes is to create a specific home for your papers in places (and names) that make sense to you.
Do you have a mail center to capture your incoming mail?
Is your filing cabinet in the area that you pay bills and process your paper?
Are you naming the files appropriately?
The best question to ask yourself when filing or creating a home for your paper is Where will I find it? This is a more powerful and appropriate question than the more common Where should I put it?, because the item will likely land on any open horizontal space.
So, when naming a file, if you would naturally look for your car info under Prius instead of Automobile then by all means label it that way.
It will also help if you think in terms of categories for your paper. Examples would be, financial, health, hobbies, owner-manuals, utilities, etc.
E = Electronic solutions.
There are also several ways you can take advantage of technology to reduce the amount of paper in your life.
- Receive electronic bank statements and utility bills.
- Use auto pay for utilities and other bills.
- Opt out of mailing lists-virtual and paper.
- Keep all you password and log-in information with SplashShopper ID on your PDA or desktop computer.
- Store important documents on a secured remote server.
My hope is for you to experience the freedom that comes with making P.E.A.C.E. with your paper, once and for all.
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Marlo Nikkila is The Organizing Coach. Claim your free “7 Powerful Ways to Simplify Your Life” Action Plan and receive a subscription to Let’s OrganizeTogether! e-zine. It is packed with refreshing tips and resources to create a simple and meaningful life, plus invitations to teleconferences and other opportunities. Receive your free action plan and subscription by visiting The-Organizing-Coach.com |
Marlo Nikkila
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Comments
3 Responses to “Organizing Paper Files with P.E.A.C.E.”
Got something to say?
Just to clarify, the (wonderful) application that you mentioned that keeps your passwords and login information is called SplashID, not SplashShopper ID, SplashShopper is another one of our popular apps. But I would definitely recommend either!
Ah, I love a good acronym! Nice tips here, Marlo - I think I will reference it on my blog!
Thanks - Eva
[…] you to feel like you are literally drowning. Marlo Nikkila has posted a great piece on her blog, DotComPreneuer, which addresses exactly this. She has spelled out her P.E.A.C.E. plan to cope with the […]