DOCUMENT STORAGE

Written By Casey Lyn Benedict
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Everyone handles paperwork differently. Some people do not handle it all. Others keep every piece of paper that comes into their home. No matter your filing “style,” you need to have a system that works for you. This post has three parts- storage options; a plan for how to get important documents and your paper organized; and the Mrs. B. Organized system and what works for me.

PART ONE. STORAGE OPTIONS.

I have listed three basic storage options below for all of your important documents and paper. What option or options you use depends on several factors:

  • Your budget.

  • How many documents and how much paperwork you have to store.

  • The space available in your home.

  • The specific risks of loss or damage.

FILE BOX. This is a space-saving and more transient option. You can start with one (or a few) to try a new organization system for a smaller investment. This option may not be the best option if theft or damage is of great concern because it could easily be carried away or damaged. But if you keep your more sensitive, important documents in a more secure place like a safe, this is a great option for everything else.

  • Amazon- File Storage Box ($21.99, this is what I am currently using, along with AmazonBasics Hanging Folders and AmazonBasics File Folders. Many colors available for the box, hanging folders, and file folders.)

  • Container Store- Bigso File Storage Box (Same brand and box as Amazon, but currently on sale for $14.99! Also comes in many colors and patterns.)

    *Side note, I have tried larger file boxes and in my opinion, they are too big. They take up a lot of space on a shelf and are heavy when full. The file boxes listed above hold more files than you think. My preference is to fill up a smaller one and start with a new one when it is full.

  • Amazon- File Folder Organizer ($19.90, good for a few files and to keep on a desk. Also great if you have a system for your incoming paper.)

HOME SAFE. Is a safe in your home right for you? If you are renting, be mindful that for a small safe to be effective you need to drill holes in the wall or floor, and larger safes can be quite a challenge to move. If you are thinking about a safe, make sure you think about a specific location to put it, large or small.

There are two main questions to think about regarding what kind of safe is right for you:

1. What are you protecting in the safe? (Documents, valuables, firearms, jewelry, money)

2. What are you protecting those items from? (Theft, water damage, fire damage)

The options range from a small safe that fits on a shelf to a large safe that is basically the size of a vault. If theft is your main concern, be careful of a smaller safe that is easier to carry way. However, if water damage is a concern, keep in mind a larger safe is not necessarily waterproof (unless it specifically says it is) in a situation like a flood, but a smaller safe can be placed higher and out of harms way. A safe, whether large or small, is a good place to keep some of the important personal documents you would like to keep more secure, such as Social Security cards, birth certificates, etc.

*Tip- some people also keep those important documents in a ziplock bag in a safe for extra protection against water damage.

Here are some options:

FILE CABINET. This is a good option if you have a lot of paper and documents.  Although a lot of transactions and accounts are online, I think it is helpful to keep file folders of hardcopy items, used in tandem with an organized email system.  I have not made the jump to a file cabinet yet, but here are some of my favorites:

More traditional 2-drawer file cabinets (they all come in a wider version as well). These could fit under a desk, in an office, or in a closet or basement:

I love the look of these (more like furniture, but also a greater investment):

PART TWO. PAPER PLAN.

From the list of documents in the previous post, you should keep most of those documents in a safe place in your home, somewhere readily available yet secure. Side note- I did a lot of research on safe deposit boxes and I did not find favorable information as an option for this post. However, if that works for you, it is another option to keep items secure. Everyone’s paper situation is unique and some people may have a lot more hardcopy/paper than others, so the important personal documents list is not an exhaustive list of what you need/want to keep in your files.

Here are some quick tips for getting your documents and paper under control:

  • Sort into two piles: store and shred.

  • Switch to paperless on as many bills and accounts as possible to cut down on paper and mail.

  • Come up with a system that works for you. You can always fine tune it later if needed. Some ideas include a color-coded system; by year; temporary/current vs. permanent; inbox, take action, to be filed, and shred; or categories….Or better yet, a combination of a few of them! Don’t overcomplicated it though.

  • Decide how long to keep certain documents. Birth certificates, marriage certificates, Social Security cards, and the like should be kept indefinitely. The IRS recommends keeping tax documents for up to seven years depending on the documents (more information found here). It is recommended to keep bills, statements, and checks for at least one year.

  • Take pictures or make copies. For example, take a picture on your phone of your passport before you travel internationally; if you are traveling with a child, especially if under the age of two, make a copy of his or her birth certificate to keep for travel. I tend to keep copies of most of the important personal documents because I would rather not use the original unless required. And if you find yourself in a situation where you need one of the important documents, find out beforehand if an original or certified copy is required or if a photocopy is OK.

    *Somewhat related (somewhat unrelated) tip- Take a picture of your license plate to keep in your phone. It can only make your life easier should you need it.

MRS. B. ORGANIZED SYSTEM.

I use a combination of file boxes and a home safe. I have several file boxes (linked above)… one box for the current year (see the main photo of this post), and then every new year, I transfer the temporary files to my consolidated file boxes, which I keep all together in a closet. Some files stay in the current box year-to-year, such as personal documents, miscellaneous, and some of the auto and home files. Some file categories, such as taxes, move to the permanent/consolidated files every year. I keep similar documents together in the consolidated files (i.e., tax files from the last few years together) and when one is full, I start a new file box.

When we are at home in Georgia, I keep most of the important personal documents (originals) in our home safe. But because of my unique situation, while we are on the road I keep a mix of copies and a few originals in my current file box, leaving most of the original documents in the safe. I also keep a couple utility bills and other bills with me so I have the account numbers and information, should I need them.

I use hanging folders to categorize my files (products linked- AmazonBasics Hanging Folders- 25 Pack and Colored Tabs- 120 set). Then within the hanging folders, I have the individual documents or subcategories in the file folders (AmazonBasics File Folders 36-pack). Below is an example of the categories I use in my file system (I do make adjustments every so often, depending on the year and how many files and documents I have).

I know this is a lot of information (and a lot to read) between this post and the previous post. My goal was for these posts to serve as a reference and as source of information. Documents and paper can be such a source of stress at home, whether its lost or misplaced items, paper scattered everywhere, or an unorganized system. You have to find a system that works for you in order for the system to serve its purpose. My system will not work for everyone, but some of my ideas might resonate with you and help you create a practical way of storing all of these items.

— Mrs. B.

Casey Lyn Benedict
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THE CHALLENGE— TEN THINGS TO ORGANIZE
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IMPORTANT PERSONAL DOCUMENTS