The Authority has previously put forth several suggestions relating to this matter.
Clearing windows, tidying kitchen counters, and vacuuming behind furniture are all part of traditional spring cleaning. But even organizing paperwork deserves a second glance during a thorough cleanup.
From lease agreements to appliance manuals, various documents, contracts, bills, and miscellaneous paperwork pile up over time in our homes. Instead of haphazardly jotting down notes, a more structured approach to spring cleaning paperwork can be beneficial. According to Petra Hermann, an organizational consultant from Essen who specializes in both business and private offices, "You often don't even know what you have."
Hermann suggests scanning documents and storing them digitally, whether on a computer, an external storage drive, or in the cloud. Keep only the physical copies that are essential, such as rental agreements or current insurance policy documents. Everything else can then be shredded and recycled.
Tossing outdated documents
Operating instructions, for instance, often come in multiple languages and are frequently not needed in their entirety. They can be scanned or photographed and kept digitally with their respective names.
Annually or as needed, you can also sort through the folders and discard outdated documents, such as old receipts or warranty certificates. The digital tidying up of documents can also serve as an opportunity to double-check: Is the latest contract in its rightful place?
Organizing documents by topic
Even a traditional filing system may require reevaluation. A common mistake, Hermann points out, is to store documents and contracts chronologically in folders. While they're stored, "it doesn't do me any good because I still have to dig through the folder to find what I need," she says. It becomes increasingly complicated when others, such as family members, need to locate a specific paper while you're sick or traveling.
Hermann suggests organizing documents by topic instead of chronologically. For example, create a folder for all home-related matters or divide the document folder into thematic sections. And make sure to list the most important information about each document, such as the electricity contract's customer number and provider's account number, or the rental agreement's landlord's contact details.
If you regularly sort out physical documents, you may find that a single themed folder is sufficient for all housing, insurance, and similar files, according to Hermann. And they don’t always have to be housed in a traditional file folder; documents can be organized thematically and space-savingly in hanging folders.
After scanning and digitizing essential documents, consider tossing outdated ones like old receipts or warranty certificates during the annual review process. To efficiently manage your digital documents, organizing them by topic instead of chronologically can significantly reduce the time spent searching for specific information.
