Let’s talk about the home office. Not long ago, people considered it a luxury attribute of a big household. However, during this pandemic, everyone realized that it is a must to work without disturbance. So did we. We always had an office, but it was mainly my workspace, where I worked on daily errands, studied, and crafted. I keep my crafting supplies organized, but the home paperwork was just messy, piling in a couple of binders and boxes in one of my office cabinets. Home document’s filing cabinet organization has been on my to-do list for a long time.
Since we all started to work and learn from home, it became evident that we need a different office room set up. Luckily, kids have rooms with their own learning stations. So it was only my husband, who had no workspace in his own house.
We both agreed that we could work together; we just needed to accommodate my girlish workspace to work for the two of us. While I wanted my office to be pretty, functionality was the priority while planning this room. Our office required two big working spaces, not just a small writing desk with a cute laptop. We both needed separate areas for all electronic equipment, papers, and office supplies. After an extended online search for available options that do not require ordering and waiting until the furniture arrives, we chose Pottery Barn desks. They work for us so well.
For me, the most significant discovery was that our desks feature filing cabinet drawers. I have never seen those in Europe for the home office. A filing system is used in Europe, mainly at companies’ offices. You would never get a desk for the home office with such drawers. In the USA, it is a very traditional way of keeping your papers organized. In Europe, people keep their documents organized in files, folders, or binders and keep them on the shelves. My archive was the same. But I was never happy with the system I had.
As our desks had file cabinet drawers, I wondered whether I should keep home documents and archive them this way. It was an eye-opener. I thought it would be a way better way of maintaining documentation. So, I went on a mission to get my paperwork under control, used my filing drawers in the way they were supposed to be used, and worked on my filing cabinet organization.
I started with five close file binders and a plastic box full of warranties and checks of important purchases. It was not a quick process. I had a lot of papers to go through as well as clutter to sort and organize. I bought hanging filing folders to start. To help myself with sorting the documents into categories, I purchased a paper filing system. After that, it involved many hours of adjusting sorting papers while watching YouTube videos in the background.
The paper filing system I bought is called FreedomFiler. It comes with tags that indicate the main categories of filing. It has a printed filing instruction guide that tells you how to file all your documents. There are many options for personalization as well. It did take some time to set up the system. I needed to figure out which tabs apply to our household, which tabs I will use, and which I need to personalize. But after this, the system started to run smoothly. It is so easy to find everything I need now.
From FreedomFiler, I chose to sort documents into:
- permanent – red tabs
- replaceable – orange tabs
- supplies – gray tabs
- archive – blue tabs
- monthly accounts – green tabs
- resource – purple tabs
All my paperwork is in three filing cabinet drawers, which is super convenient.
We finally have an office where we can feel comfortable, stay organized, and maintain productivity. I am also in control of my paperwork thanks to my new filing cabinet organization. Please take a look at my filing cabinet organization. If you feel as though your papers are cluttered, I highly recommend you try my system for your document organization, too.
