{sanity saver file system by little mudpies}

Hi, Wait ‘Til Your Father Gets Home Readers! I’m Lindsay, the Momma behind the blog Little Mudpies.  Over in my little corner of the interwebz you’ll find tutorials, recipes and even some cute stories about my kids.

Today I am here sharing my Sanity Saver File System. I has truly made a difference in our life, and the lack of paper clutter around the house. It’s pretty easy too, and customizable to fit all your family’s needs.

Back to school means the kiddos will be sent home with tons of paperwork. Things that are important, sheets that need to be signed, class lists and more. With all the papers that are being sent home, sometimes it can get a little overwhelming. Not to mention the clutter. It’s amazing how much clutter there is when papers aren’t organized properly.

I am going to show you a simple way of organizing the important papers in your life. This can be used for everyone in your family. You can make one for each person. It’s really endless how you set it up, what works for me might not work for you. Play around with it until you find a way that keeps you organized and keeps your papers where you need them.

You will need a file box and file. My box is an old cereal box covered in scrapbook paper. I have plans to recover it with fabric using this method. I have been so busy that it’s been pushed down on my ‘to-do’ list.

There are two parts to this file organization. Whenever I receive something in the mail. For example this wedding invitation.

I look at the date of the wedding and I write it on my calendar. Then I put a little “T” in a circle next to the save the date. The little “T” in the circle lets me know that the invitation will be in my files.

The wedding is September 1st so I put it in the “July – December” file folder. I will stick everything involved with that wedding invitation in that file folder (directions to the reception, etc). So the day of the wedding all I have to do is go to the file labeled “July – December” pull out all the information for the wedding and go. No frantically running around wondering where we put it, what time it starts, directions etc. This works great for bills, birthday invites, or anything that is “due by” a specific date. If we received an invite for something in February. I would put the invitation in the file folder labeled “January – June”

This system works well with important papers too. I keep a “Reference” folder in there and that is where I keep a menu for the local restaurants in case we have family over to baby sit the boys. The class list for Oliver’s preschool is in there, etc. I keep papers in there that I need to reference quickly.

I also have a “save” file. That is for the important bills that come in the mail, or if I get a special card. That goes into the “Save” file and once a month I go though it and file them in the big filing cabinet upstairs.

I call this my Sanity Saver File System. I am sure there is a more professional name for it, but I like my name better. It’s amazing how filing the papers away as soon as I get them keeps the chaos at bay. Now if I could find a good filing system for all of these toys I’d be set.

I hope that if you try this filing system, that it works for you. Stop by Little Mudpies and say hi sometime!! You can also connect with me on Facebook and Twitter!!