Organizing Paperwork Case Study: Getting It Done Virtually

The everyone works from home world that we currently live in has not only placed an emphasis on the need to declutter the seldom used desk in your home office but to also organize paperwork and your filing system.  I recently worked with a retired executive on organizing paperwork in her personal files and we tackled this project via Zoom.  My client’s objective was to create a better paper file management system so that she could more quickly locate information when needed.

We started our first virtual meeting by reviewing the process for sorting and re-organizing the paperwork as well as discussing the current filing system. The new system needed to be customized to my client’s way of thinking so she could easily find documents. With this in mind, we reserved the space in the desk drawer for the action or active files like bills, pending orders, and her husband’s health information.  Financial statements, insurance information and medical statements would be filed in the cabinet behind the desk.  We determined which files needed to be re-organized during our session and then my client organized them before our next meeting.

We kicked off our second meeting by reviewing the excellent work my client had done getting the files into their respective cabinets and using different colored file tabs to distinguish between main and sub-categories within each drawer. While it took some time to get the files setup, my client now has a system that will be easy to maintain going forward.  Our next focus was on her digital filing system. As her plan is to eventually move to an all-digital filing system, creating a filing structure that mirrors the paper one will make for an easier transition. We discussed strategies for building on the current filing structure that includes organizing the folders on her desktop, setting up sub-folders as needed, and identifying solutions that would be within her comfort level. By the end of the session, she had some additional tasks to complete and was confident that they could be quickly addressed.

“Our two Zoom sessions have both motivated and guided me to finally get my paper files under control.  I feel now that I have effective tools to keep the file system managed and updated and to be able to access what I need quickly. I also feel more comfortable about making inroads into my computer file organization even though we only touched on that.

I appreciated your ability to help me see what to prioritize (and worry about) and when to move on.  You were very good at keeping the focus and at the same time tuning in to my particular challenges.  

I found working with you via Zoom went very well. It was much more productive and doable than I would have expected. Thank you.”

Working virtually to tackle organizing paperwork is another option for getting the job done.  Reach out to your NYC Professional Office Organizer today to discuss your home office paperwork challenges.