How To Keep Your Files and Documents From Taking Over Your Life

We all tend to accumulate a ton of stuff as we go along – whether it’s personal items such as clothes and shoes, or office documents and other files that we simply gather in the midst of our day-to-day existence. But if you have the feeling that your office files are simply becoming too big to control, it might be a good idea to do something about it.

Mind you, you do not have to undergo major changes in order to organise your office documents – you can take it one step at a time and begin making small changes to ensure that your files and documents remain under control.

Just Delete it

This is easier said than done, you may think, but it actually is easy to do. The point is to learn to prioritise which files are exceedingly important and which files you can throw in the rubbish. When you go through all your files on your computer, decide which files still have bearing on your work and which files can be discarded altogether. To make it easier on you, go through your old files and see which ones you have not opened in the last year or so. These files can likely be discarded.

Take Action Immediately: Follow a 5-minute Tenet

When you come across files or receive files from colleagues, what do you usually do? Do you often save them until a later date? Stop doing this. Instead, focus on what you can do immediately. If it will only take you five minutes to save a file in a folder, then do so. This way, you do not have to go back to this file later on and even end up becoming confused as to what you were supposed to do or where to find it.

Speaking of Folders…

Don’t we just love creating folders? A folder for this, a folder for that. This is because creating digital folders is too easy. Imagine having to create physical folders for all the files you have – the storage space would be a nightmare. The same is true for your digital space. Avoid creating too many specific folders, and create a well-organised series of folders in general categories instead. This will also make it easier for you to save and access files and find what you need as soon as possible. If you have too many folders (and categories), you can easily forget where you have saved a particular file or document.

But when it comes to actual physical storage space, what you can do is tag your files so it will also be less of a hassle to find them when you need them. Then store them in individual storage boxes, which can be neatly placed in your office for future reference when needed. Once you receive a hard copy of a file, store it away immediately as well, and keep a note of where you have placed it.

File Consolidation is a Necessity

This is related to the above-mentioned folder issue. Whenever you can, consolidate your files. Again, this will make it easier for you to find exactly what you are looking for amidst all the clutter. Instead of having two folders for two files, simply save two files under one general folder.

But there are times when your files – whether digital or paper-based – are simply too vast to organise on your own any longer. In this case, you can turn to experts like Shredall.co.uk/, which can help you with proper document storage, scanning, and even recycling.