I don't know what David Allen recommends but I have only 2 groups. Current Active Projects and Everything else. The latter includes Reference files and Project Support Files for all other projects including those that are in Someday/Maybe, have been completed or are being Tickled to a later date. I tried to separate them for a while but it was too hard to maintain so I quit.In paper filing systems, is it best to physically separate:
A) Live Projects
B) Reference materials (which do not have any projects against them)
C) Archived Projects
What does Allen recommend?
I totally agree! Two categories only:I don't know what David Allen recommends but I have only 2 groups. Current Active Projects and Everything else. The latter includes Reference files and Project Support Files for all other projects including those that are in Someday/Maybe, have been completed or are being Tickled to a later date. I tried to separate them for a while but it was too hard to maintain so I quit.
Where do the project support materials go for projects that are in your Someday/Maybe list or that have a delayed start date some time in the future?My active projects are reflected in my project list, so I don't separate active and inactive project support materials in my reference filing.
Where do the project support materials go for projects that are in your Someday/Maybe list or that have a delayed start date some time in the future?
I don't know what David Allen recommends but I have only 2 groups. Current Active Projects and Everything else. The latter includes Reference files and Project Support Files for all other projects including those that are in Someday/Maybe, have been completed or are being Tickled to a later date. I tried to separate them for a while but it was too hard to maintain so I quit.
I do have 2 totally separate systems for files related to 2 organizations where I am an officer but they are separate so that when I am no longer an officer I can easily pass on the files to a new person.
I'm confused. Why is it hard to find stuff? If it's all in one A-Z place then it should be easy. Now I can see separating out the current active projects from the rest but otherwise why bother archiving? Then when you do need it you'll have to look 2 different places, the referecne files and the archive files if you don't find it there. I'd rather deal with only 1 place to look for something that is not active.Currently I just have one A-Z filing system for everything. My problem is that it's getting too cluttered and bloated and this makes things hard to find. A lot of older project stuff I am unlikely to need more than say once per year and that should really be archived off somewhere.
Good point. I guess it depends on how many of those files you have and how you work with your paper support materials.I often move projects between my active project list and someday/maybe. Keeping my files in one A-Z structure means I don't have the added step of refiling support materials when things move between lists.
Good point. I guess it depends on how many of those files you have and how you work with your paper support materials.
In my case I'd rather spend the time to move the files for a project that moves to Someday/Maybe during my weekly review than keep it in my active file location. The reason is that I have 5 four drawer filing cabinets with paper materials. O have only 1 draw for active projects and that is a lot easier for me to work with.
That is my goal but I rarely get through everything in a quarter. I'm working hard to make that a priority though. I'd like to regain some filing space. My physical cabinets are getting too full to easily file new things.RS356 said:To keep things uncluttered, I review my file system quarterly and purge any old or unneeded files.
I'm confused. Why is it hard to find stuff? If it's all in one A-Z place then it should be easy.
e.g. Within a subject A-Z system, you may like to keep papers (e.g. letters) in strict date order, but the problems start when you have little or no idea what actual date something happened on. Also within the same hanging file you might want to separate out certain different types of thing such as say statements, from communications & letters. And if anything gets out of place, if there are too many papers it can quickly become a nightmare to find it.
Likewise to take a simple example I like to keep all car (automobile) stuff under "Car". But within Car I have different sections, depending on the exact subject. I like to keep a historical archive of receipts & information for servicing and work done, but I also have a separate section for crucial paperwork e.g. MOT cert, live insurance papers, proof of ownership etc.
I mean if it's a genuine one-off surely one wouldn't create a special dedicated file for it, in which case where would one put it?!
Ordinary file folders. They are standard manila folders and I create labels for them with my labeler. So I do label my manila folders I just don't use the little tabbed label holder things on hanging folders. Hanging folders are just carriers to me. For the drawers that have follow blocks I just put the folders in. If the drawer does not have a follow block then I use wide bottom hanging folders just to keep the manila folders from falling over since the drawers are not completely full.Ship69 said:I am confused. What other system is there?
How do do you get away with NOT using hanging files?
And how do you get away with not labelling them?
For the first I have all repairs as a project with the tasks in my list manager. As long as the tasks have been checked off the proper maintenance has been done. Since much of is is based on mileage I put the actions like changing oil and other stuff about 2-3 weeks before I expect to need to do it since I know pretty much how many miles I drive in a month or year.Ship69 said:So that I can quickly see all repairs that have been done to my car.
So that if/when I sell my car I can hand over all the paperwork without going through all my receipts.
Archive is just in my regular A-Z filing system. There is no difference between an archived file and any other piece of reference material. The minute you start sorting things into Archive Reference or Active Reference now you suddenly have 2 systems and you may not remember where the item is. Again, Simplify everything. With only 1 place it's easy to find stuff.Ship69 said:Why not archive it?
Particularly in the case of say personal letters.
I don't have anything to file for medical appointments. They are on my calendar. If I need to bring something like test results then they are filed in my tickler file for the day of the appointment. My doctors use electronic record systems and I have access to all my records all the time through the hospital computer system.Ship69 said:Also if it is something that you don't use on a predictable regular cycle e.g. say Medical appointments, then what?
Ship69 said:I mean if it's a genuine one-off surely one wouldn't create a special dedicated file for it, in which case where would one put it?![/QUOTE
Sure I would.
For example I have a folder labeled Sheep Embryo Collection. In it is a single sheet of paper that gives the protocol for recipient ewes. What drugs and when to get them ready for embryo transfer and also the pre-surgery things to do so they will be ready.
Ship69 said:Or worse, maybe it's a complex condition involving more than one topic? And/or maybe without the paperwork you can't even remember what technical name the medics are giving it?(!)
e.g. Was it something you eat that you might be allergic to that has been causing the skin condition? So was it filed under "A" for Allergy, or "D" for Dietetics or "N" for Nutritionist ??
Or maybe something to do with agricultural sprays so was it filed under "S" for Sprays or "I" for Insecticides?
I would have a note in DEVONThink with the common name of the condition, the symptoms I was experiencing and the scientific or medical term. That way i could search for it easily.
Ship69 said:And my central point is that the more stuff you have in the system the harder it is to remember how you have filed something!
Mine is if it's hard to remember then change your system. One solution is to keep less. The less you have the less you have to search through and maintain. If you are like me a packrat then figure out how you generally look for things and change your file folder names accordingly. One way is to make folders for every possible way you will look for something and put in the folder a single sheet of paper with the folder name where that thing is really located. If you continually find yourself going to the wrong folder when you search for something then change the name of the folder.
If they are something I want it's because they belong in either a genealogy file or are going to go into my scrapbooks. If the former they get filed in my main filing cabinet by the family name with other materials from that family.
That is a brilliant idea. I've been using the filing system from the book "Organizing Your Family History Search" by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack.My genealogy files stand alone from my general A-Z reference, but the concept is the same. .... I'm comfortable in separating these files because 1) my research is a discreet area of focus that doesn't overlap with others, and 2) I view them as not as personal files, but rather belonging to the family; I wouldn't want my heirs to inadvertently toss them along with my old tax returns. Truly irreplaceable historic documents are stored in a safe deposit box at the bank. To this end, I keep a checklist of contents and access instructions in each file box.