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Archive Your Files With
Ease
What shape is your filing system in?
Are your filing drawers stuffed so full that it’s
nearly impossible to get another piece of paper into
— or out of — them? Once a year, you should take
time to review your files and purge as much as
possible, leaving room for next year’s papers.
1. Determine what to keep. As you sort through
papers, ask yourself, “When will I really need this
again?” “Can it be easily recreated or retrieved
elsewhere?” Don’t hang onto things unless you have a
really good reason! Be ruthless — remember, 80% of
the things you file will never get referred to
again!
2. Keep records retention guidelines in mind. Your
accountant, attorney, or professional organizer can
tell you which documents you should keep for legal
purposes.
3. Keep only day-to-day paperwork at your
fingertips. For rarely-used files that must be kept,
archive them in an out-of-the-way area, such as a
closet, basement, or off-site storage facility.
4. Some things can be immediately tossed.
Instruction manuals for products you no longer own,
old research materials, previous drafts of letters,
out-of-date magazines and articles, and receipts for
items past their return date can be discarded.
5. Stash important documents in a safety deposit
box. It is imperative that you stock your safety
deposit box or home safe with the following papers:
adoption and citizenship papers; passports; birth,
death, and marriage certificates; deeds; divorce
decrees; insurance policy papers; lease agreements
and loan documents; mortgage papers; personal
property appraisals (jewelry, collectibles); Social
Security cards; stock and bond certificates; vehicle
titles; copies of wills; and powers of attorney
papers. And don’t forget to LOCK your home safe. It
is NOT fireproof unless the lock is engaged.
© 2006 Articles on Demand™ |
