No More
Chaos!
Now it's time to begin organizing
and filing the bulk of your papers. Before you start,
however, a time management tip: Make sure you have the
proper supplies on hand to work effectively. Nothing stops
a project quicker than running out of supplies. Start out
right and keep your momentum going while you have the
energy and commitment.
Next to a filing cabinet, the
most important supply you need for filing is hanging file
folders. You can certainly run out to the nearest discount
superstore and buy large quantities of the cheapest
hanging file folders available, but I don't recommend it.
Consider your filing system an investment. If you want to
get the most value for your money, I recommend that you
purchase Pendaflex® brand hanging file folders. There are
three reasons for this recommendation. First, the folders
have a polylaminate reinforcement covering the two top
edges of the folder, providing extra strength for active
filing systems. Second, the folders now come with an
inside pocket so you can find small items, such as
identification cards and diskettes, within folders. And
third-but most important-Pendaflex folders have a lifetime
guarantee. If a folder falls apart, return it and get a
replacement. I'm not aware of any other manufacturers of
hanging file folders that provide that kind of quality and
guarantee. You'll spend a little more on Pendaflex
products, but as my husband likes to say, "You get
what you pay for." Pendaflex is online at http://www.esselte.com
and Pendaflex products are sold at most office supply
stores. They come in 13 different colors, which can help
you to set up a color-coded system.
If you choose to put file folders
within your hanging folders, you'll need to make sure you
have a supply of them as well. File folders come in
different colors and sizes (legal and letter), and are
made by a variety of manufacturers. If you buy Pendaflex
hanging file folders, you can buy the internal folders to
match, but that's your choice. I am not as adamant about
the quality of regular file folders as I am about hanging
file folders, because I haven't noticed a significant
difference between manufacturers.
Another very important item to
have on hand while you're filing is a "new age"
label maker. There are several varieties on the market,
but my personal favorite is the Brother P-Touch Home &
Hobby III Labelmaker (http://www.brother.com).
These new label makers have taken the place of the
punch-type label makers that were popular in previous
decades. The new variety makes labels in a variety of
colors, type styles and sizes, and can even print vertical
labels. I find my label maker invaluable for labeling my
hanging file folders as well as the folders that I
frequently put within them. The labels are neat and
consistent, and are very easy and convenient to create.
And once you get your filing system in order, you can
label other areas that need attention.
Elizabeth Kelley
Kerstens, CGRS,
is the managing editor of Genealogical Computing,
editor of the Board for Certification of Genealogists’
newsletter OnBoard, the creator of Clooz—the
electronic filing cabinet for genealogical records, and a
frequent contributor to Ancestry. She can be
reached via e-mail at liz@ancestordetective.com.
