Papers piling up and you don’t know what to do? Don’t panic, thanks to this comprehensive guide you’ll be able to remedy the situation, sort out your papers, put them away and become a real organization pro.
There are a few simple tips to help you organize your paperwork, whether it’s invoices, receipts, certificates or anything else.
In any case, there’s no need to worry: you’re not the only person to have years and years of archives in disarray in your closets, or still unopened letters lying around the house.
With a little willpower, patience and the right tips, it’s perfectly possible to regain serenity and tidy up your papers once and for all.
Are you ready? Let’s get started!
Sorting and tidying your papers – it’s possible!
First and foremost, it’s important to know that when you decide to sort and tidy your papers, you need to do it with a clear head and plan to devote several hours to it. The aim is to do it all in one go.
Now it’s time to take action. To do this, you’ll need to be rigorous and organized, and proceed in several stages.
Step 1: gather all papers to be sorted in one place.
Gathering all the papers to be sorted is a necessity. Gone are the days of piles of papers and envelopes lying around the house – now they’re all there, ready to be sorted. To make sure you don’t waste any time, it’s a good idea to go round the house and check that there’s nothing left lying around, in drawers, on the kitchen counter or anywhere else.
At this stage, it’s already possible to make an initial sort by separating administrative papers from papers such as postcards, children’s drawings, souvenirs and so on. These should be placed in a keepsake box and set aside.
For the moment, we’re only interested in administrative papers.
Step 2: sorting “keep” and “throw away” papers
In this second step, we go through each piece of paper one by one, to determine whether or not it should be kept.
During this stage, don’t hesitate to throw out “useless” papers such as Internet and telephone bills. These are often available on your online accounts. On the other hand, if you don’t have a dispute with your supplier, there’s no point in keeping these documents, as they’ll just fill up your cupboards.
At the same time, all documents over 5 years old should be automatically discarded. On the other hand, if they are not confidential documents, you can dispose of them directly in the sorting garbage can.
In general, only papers such as employment contracts, pay slips, tax documents, etc., should be kept for life. are papers to be kept for life.
Step 3: move on to the organization stage
Organizing your papers should be fairly straightforward, so that you can find them more easily when you need them. Generally speaking, it’s best to opt for a two-part sorting system:
- On the one hand, papers to be kept for life in the long term.
- On the other, papers to be kept temporarily (such as electricity, gas and water bills, insurance, etc.).
There are a number of different ways to store these, which you’ll discover a little further down in this guide.
Step 4: go paperless straight away
To avoid receiving so much paper, we strongly advise you to go paperless. This will put an end to the incessant mailing of paper documents.
To do this, you’ll need to set up online accounts, and if you haven’t already done so, contact the various structures to inform them of your dematerialization request.
To stop receiving junk mail and brochures you don’t need, consider putting a “stop pub” sticker on your letterbox. These stickers are readily available from the town hall.
Step 5: Opt for a regular sorting routine
To avoid going back to square one, it’s better to devote a few minutes each day to sorting your mail, rather than letting it accumulate.
To optimize daily sorting without it becoming a chore, we recommend setting up 3 boxes:
- Mail to be processed quickly
- Mail for temporary storage
- Mail for permanent retention
This will enable you to sort your mail and put it away on a weekend or when you have some free time.
The best storage options for filing papers.
There are a number of ways to optimize the filing and storage of your papers. In principle, thanks to dematerialization, you should be receiving less and less paper. Nevertheless, here are a few practical tips for storing those that will last.
The traditional filing cabinet
Binders are still a very practical way of storing papers. They offer a number of advantages:
- documents are easy to consult
- Documents can be added as they are filed.
- The storage capacity of some binders is quite large.
- Documents can be filed using dividers.
Cardboard pockets
Cardboard pockets with elastic bands are also very practical for filing documents. For example, you can use one pocket for each type of paper, and find them again in just a few seconds if you need to.
Be careful, however, to choose models that are large enough to hold a good number of documents.
The magazine holder
The magazine holder is a practical system for storing documents by simply slipping them into the transparent pockets provided. Once again, there are several colors to choose from, allowing you to select a color for each type of paper.
The only drawback to this method is that the number of views is generally limited, and once they’re full, it’s impossible to add additional documents.
So choose the capacity that suits you best.
The sorter
The sorter is a practical and quick way of storing papers, allowing you to slide them into the tab indicated. It’s an all-in-one storage solution that keeps all your documents in one place.
If there’s one drawback to these sorters, it’s their limited capacity.
Banners or letter trays
This type of “open” storage allows you to file your papers for processing. Baskets are ideal for sorting mail during the week, before putting it away for good at the weekend. It’s more of a temporary storage system, to be used as a complement to long-term storage.
Be careful, however, not to use letter trays as a way of forgetting your good resolutions and letting mail pile up in them for months on end.
Hanging files
Hanging folders are another very efficient way of organizing papers. You can store your papers in named folders, which is a very practical way of finding your way around the filing system.
Hanging files can quickly become overloaded if there’s an abundance of papers to sort. Be careful, therefore, to choose this storage method only if the majority of your administrative documents are dematerialized.
The archive box
Archive boxes, widely used in the professional world, are very practical for filing administrative documents. In particular, they are ideal for filing documents that are to be kept for a long time, and can then be stored in a cupboard or on a shelf.
Once again, an archive box has a limited volume. What’s more, they’re not the most practical way to consult documents you’ll need to pull out frequently.
Tip: there’s absolutely no need to opt for a single storage method. On the contrary, several types of storage can be used to store your documents. In particular, you can separate the storage of current papers from the storage of annual documents, by opting for a magazine rack and a filing cabinet respectively, for example. The aim is to do what suits YOU best, according to your habits.
Last but not least, don’t forget to label each of your folders, and file documents in chronological order, from the oldest to the most recent.
How long should I keep my papers?
Each type of document must be kept according to its nature. In recent years, storage periods have changed considerably. You can find all the information on this subject on the public service website at the following address: https: //www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/
Here you’ll find the retention periods for the most common documents. In the event of doubt or potential dispute with the sender of a letter, it is essential to retain documents for as long as necessary.
Here are some guidelines on how long you should keep your documents:
Income-related documents
- Employment contracts, pay slips and work certificates must be kept until retirement.
- Pôle Emploi certificates and unemployment benefit instalments must also be kept until retirement.
- Receipts for final pay must be kept for 6 months.
- Finally, pension payment slips must be kept for life.
Tax-related documents
Income tax returns, tax notices and proof of tax deductions must be kept for 3 years.
All local tax notices must be kept for 1 year in most cases, and 3 years in the event of exemption, reduction or rebate.
Housing-related documents
- Energy bills must be kept for 5 years.
- Telephone and Internet bills must be kept for 1 year.
- Title deeds must be kept for life.
- All condominium documents must be kept for 5 years.
- APL payments must be kept for 2 years.
- Rental contracts and related documents must be kept for 3 years after the end of the rental period.
- All invoices relating to work carried out on a property must be kept for 10 years for major works and 2 years for minor works.
Financial documents
- Bank statements and cheque stubs must be kept for 5 years.
- Mortgage and consumer loan contracts must be kept for 2 years after the last payment.
Health documents
- Prescriptions should generally be kept for 1 year (with the exception of 5 years for glasses and a lifetime for hearing aids).
- Health and vaccination records, and blood group cards must be kept for life.
- All medical certificates, examination reports and X-rays must be kept as advised by your doctor.
- Health insurance cards and claims must be kept for 2 years in most cases, but this may vary depending on the health organization.
Family documents
All family documents, such as family record books, notarial deeds, civil status documents, marriage contracts, etc., must be kept for life. Must be kept for life.
Insurance documents
- Life insurance documents must be kept for 10 years.
- Classic insurance contracts, up to 2 years after the end of the contract.
- All other correspondence from your insurance company must be kept for 2 years.
Automobile documents
All documents relating to the purchase, use or repair of a vehicle must be kept for the duration of ownership and 2 years after resale.
