Order documents at home and keep them safe

Invoices, contracts and personal documents accumulate quickly. A clear storage system helps to find a document without a long search. For this, not all papers need to be placed in a single thick folder: more meaningful is a division by topic and access frequency.

Start with an inventory

First, collect loose documents at a quiet workplace. Separate current tasks from completed operations. A bill that still needs to be paid should not disappear between old bank statements. Check duplicates and put unclear documents in your own folder for the time being, rather than quickly dispose of them.

• Finance and banking records
• Housing, energy and telecommunications
• Insurance and vehicle
• Occupation, training and qualifications
• Health and personal documents
• Tax records and proof of ownership

Choose a suitable tray

Folders with tabs are suitable for documents that you regularly access. Label your back clearly, for example with theme and period. Within the folder helps a consistent order: by date, contract or person. Keep the same system so that new documents have a place immediately.

Fan folders need little space and are practical for smaller quantities or associated processes. On the other hand, storage baskets at the desk serve as a short-term entrance for open tasks. They don’t replace a permanent archive. Set up a manageable routine to empty the input and record processed papers.

Use archive boxes sensibly

Completed operations can be changed to labeled archive boxes. Check the inner dimensions: Some boxes take loose A4 sheets, other whole folders. Overcrowded cartons are hard to carry and strain the floor. Divide larger stocks into several handy units.

The box includes content and time period. A short table of contents makes it easier to find it later. Set up the archive dry, clean and protected from direct sunlight. Ordinary cardboard is not waterproof. A suitable additional storage can be useful for particularly valuable originals.

Do not set a flat-rate retention period

The deadlines and practical storage requirements depend on the type of document and the personal or operational situation. Listed in Polish original ZUS- tax and insurance periods are therefore not taken over as German rules. Clear the relevant requirements before destroying important originals. Proof of ownership and qualifications should not be sorted out solely because of their age.

A digital copy facilitates the search, but does not always replace the original. When scanning documents, use unique file names, a traceable folder structure and a suitable backup. Sensitive documents do not belong in an unprotected, freely accessible storage.

Maintaining the system in everyday life

1. Collect new mail in a fixed place.
2. Mark open tasks and edit them promptly.
3. Assign completed documents directly to the right topic.
4. Check the inventory at regular intervals and archive completed operations.
5. Destroy personal documents released for disposal in such a way that sensitive information remains unreadable.

A good storage system must fit your everyday life. Few clearly labeled categories and a regular short date for sorting usually help more than a very elaborate order, which can not be endured later.