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Purge the file drawer

The new year is the perfect opportunity to sort through your file drawer 
and eliminate the unnecessary papers.
As well as establish a simple easy to use filing system.

Starting at the front of the drawer (or file box) take out each folder 
and sort the papers into piles of:
Keep, Recycle, Shred. 

You may find you have several year’s worth of insurance policies; only keep the most recent.
You may come across warranties and information for things you no longer own.  Recycle them.
(Most owner’s manuals can now be found on line, making keeping your paper copy unnecessary)
You may find financial and personal papers that belong in a safe or safety deposit box.  Move them.
You may have folders of clipped articles you meant to read, 
recipes you intended to try, or
travel ideas or destinations.
That was then.  
This is now.

Once you’ve gone through the entire drawer and you’re ready to put the Keepers back in:
Choose between the option of setting up the files alphabetically or in order of frequency of use. 
Which system makes better sense to you and how your mind works?

Establish files and folders use broad, general categories.
Such as Important Documents, Paid Bills, Insurance, Financial Records, 2020 Taxes.
As with all organizing systems, the simplest solution is the best solution.
The more complicated you make the system the less likely you are to use it.
Better to file quickly and if you ever have to search out a paper spend time then.  
You still should be able to locate the specific paper fairly quickly.

Buy a few box bottom hanging files-they are especially useful for holding odd shaped papers 
or extra thick documents without crowding.

75% of the papers people file never get looked at again.  
Why waste your time filing the unnecessary, 
or waste space keeping papers you will never look at again?

Consider on line bill paying to reduce the amount of paper coming into your home that you 
might feel an obligation to file.  
Remember Google is your friend.  
If you need to find an article or information about a topic 
you can locate it fastest and easier on the internet 
than digging through your file drawer.  

Don’t forget to take the bag of recycle to the bin, and do your shredding.  
(If the shredding pile seems too much for your home machine, 
Staples offers secure shredding for about a dollar a pound.)

Simplify your file drawer,
reduce the amount of papers you are keeping.
Make life easier.