Clear Out The Paperwork and Increase Performance
By Janet Taylor
My goal as a professional organizer is not only to help you organize
your current pile of papers but to help you manage the papers you deal
with on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
FILING SYSTEM
1.Create a filing system that meets your particular needs.
2.Title files by name or subject.
3.Color-code to distinguish files (geographically, suppliers, ven-
dors, commercial, residential)
4.Alphabetize files
MAGAZINES
1.Skim through the table of contents to see if an article is of
interest. Tear out the articles of interest and get rid of the
magazine. If nothing interests you, donate the magazines to a hospital
or nursing home. 2.Create a file for the magazine articles you decide
to keep and categorize them according to topic. 3.Purchase magazine
holders to store magazines on shelves or in bookcases.
BUSINESS CARDS
1.Set aside time after each networking event/meeting to have cards
entered into database. 2.Once cards are entered decide if you wanted
to keep the business card or discard. If you decide to keep the card
place in a card file box or rolodex.
MAIL
Sort the mail using a desktop file or portable file box and divide into
the following categories or create your own: (To-Read, To-Write,
To-Call, To-Pay) (Bills, Corres- pon- dence, Orders, Infor- mation
Request) Once you have the time, to handle your mail, prioritize each
category handling urgent mail first.
DESK
1.Only place necessary items on your desk (calendar, pen/pencils,
clock)
2.Use trays to organize papers and projects but don’t overload them.
Clear them out daily.
3.Straighten desk at the end of the day so that you can start each day
off with a clear desk and a clear mind.
OFFICE ON THE GO
Use a portable file box to organize literature, client files, brochures,
contracts, and catalogs when you are traveling on the road. Portable
file boxes are great for taking along when you are exhibiting or
participating in a trade show. Once you have a system in place, you
won’t waste valuable time searching through piles of paper. HBM
Janet Taylor is President and Owner of Totally Organized, a professional
organizing service that helps clients save time and money. For more
information about how they can help you contact: Totally Organized, P.
O. Box 54091, Philadelphia, PA 19105-4091, (215)229-7232 phone/fax.
E-mail :TOrganized@aol.com
Originally Published at http://www.homebusinessmag.com/
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