Which way round do the files go?

[Timothy.M.Read]

Maybe a silly question, but after reading GTD several times, I can not see which way round the files in the Tickler and general reference should go. Let me explain...

The general purpose files can be up with the spine upwards which makes it a lot easer to see them as separate files and hence see the label on them but the problem is that small pieces of paper can fall from them into the bottom of the filling draw. If I put them open end up, then nothing falls out, but it is a lot harder to see where one ends and another starts, and hence it is harder to quickly see and take out the file I want.

Any one got this clear?

Thanks,

Tim

 

[scott.stephen]

Tim,

I am confused about your question. Folders are always stored with the spine/fold at the bottom and the tab at the top, no?

Anyhow, the tickler folders are meant as a rotating system with each day and month folder containing items that will be emptied into your inbox each day. Once emptied, put at the end of the days or months.

Can you be more specific with your question if this did not help?

Regards,
Scott

 

[Timothy.M.Read]

Thanks for the reply Scott:

> I am confused about your question. Folders are always stored
> with the spine/fold at the bottom and the tab at the top, no?

Agh, not in my case. The files I can buy here in Spain are just plain carton (roughtly A3 size which are folded into half to provide you with an A4 folder into which you can put papers).

There are no tabs or anything similar. So, if I put them spine down and then put things into the files, then the fronts and backs of the folders press together and I can't see what the files are called...

Hence I stared to turn the files "upside down", with the spines upwards, and label the spines. The advantage is that the spines are nicely separated and I can see what each file is, but the disadvantage is that small papers (e.g., restaurant bill) fall out. I get round this by using a paper clip to fix the small papers to A4 ones, but wandered if there was a better solution. Maybe my problem is the type of files I am using...

> Anyhow, the tickler folders are meant as a rotating system with
> each day and month folder containing items that will be emptied
> into your inbox each day. Once emptied, put at the end of the
> days or months.

There's my mistake, I did not actually move the files, just look into the one that corresponds to the day in question.

Many thanks,

Tim

 

[scott.stephen]

Tim,

I did not realize that you were writing from Spain (your profile does not mention your country).

Here in France, it is the same problem, however you can purchase plastic tabs, that are either self-sticking, or you can staple or glue them. Maybe you have the same thing available in Spain.

Yes, rotating the files is very important. It makes the system make sense.

Regards,
Scott

 

[joel]

Europe and Files

Yes, ordinary european files are without any tab !!!
And David Allen's views about filing are not directly usable.

However, tabbed files can be find.
Here in France, I use http://www.schaefer-shop.fr : look at # 66868, 66869 and 66870 (middle, left and right tab).

HTH

Joël