Storing In Use File Folders

[jeffintexas]

Good evening ~

What's the best solution y'all have found for having the "in use" folders out and available? I have looked at some of the wall holders by Ultimate Office but they are pretty expensive.

Any other great solutions? I prefer to have it off the desk if possible, thus the idea of wall holders.

Jeff

 

[GTDWorks]

Jeff:

I have a plastic Staples file holder that holds five files upright. I keep them on top of my filing cabinet in my office and are just an arms reach away and in clear view from my desk.

 

[ChrisF]

I put active folders in a stepped wire holder similar to this http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/346411/Office-Brand-Metro-Mesh-Wire-Step/ but a bit taller so the heavy ones don't flop over. It's actually on a window sill in line of sight. I take out the one I'm currently working on when I'm in work mode and have it front and center on my desk surface. This may or may not work for what you want unless you have a surface somewhere. Hanging ones do tend to be more expensive.

 

[cornell]

Absolute simplest solution: Use one of the lower shelves of your stacking trays! Here's how I use them:

o Top: Inbox (on top so that incoming paper can grow - temporarily!)

o Middle: Action Support (for individual pieces of paper related to completing an action or a waiting for). Two folders: One for finances (waiting for bank statement) and one for everything else.

o Bottom: "Hot" project folders. This is a mixed bag, though. It tends to accumulate stale ones, it requires searching in multiple places, and might tempt you to use it as action reminders. On the plus side, accessing the folders is a *bit* faster, and there's a natural limit: File some when you can't stuff any more in!

Hope that helps.

 

[jesig]

I just don't keep them out. I have one vertical file-sorter at the edge of my desk, because my system is paper-based--in it are "Action Support," "Waiting for," "Agendas, " "To be Picked up" (things my coworkers have given me so that they'll be at the reception desk) and a specific folder for things I have to give to the person I work with most closely. Everything else is in my file drawers, unless I'm working on a specific project, in which case that folder comes out and I work on it and put it back.

But then, I work in a cubicle so all my drawers are no more than 3 ft from my chair. When I have a bigger office someday, I think I'll still set it up so that I can put files away quickly. Much nicer on the mind.

 

[RuthMcT]

I have a small file drawer at the end of my desk, and the active files go in there. I try to only have the actual file I am physically working with out on the desk.

Ruth