Last week we talked about organizing your files using the straight-line filing technique. To further organize your paperwork we suggest assigning color to each category in your files. No longer will your correspondence end up in your personal banking folder--learn how after the jump.

By associating categories with a specific color you'll be able to find your files faster. Adding color breaks your filing system down into smaller sections and it helps us clearly visualize what would otherwise be dull file folders. When you're looking for a specific piece of paper you'll be able to rule out most colors and zone in on the colored files that contain only what you're looking for. Before, we would have to read each file tab to determine what category we needed. When we use color to search for a file, our eyes can immediately spot a specific tab. We also like that when we take a file out, it's easy to put back and find its proper place in line. Plus--no more writing category names on index tabs. With the colored file signifying a category, there is no need for it.

To organize your files using color, we suggest using 4-6 categories--any more than six will be confusing and hard to keep track of. When you're picking out your colors try to determine a relationship between the category and your color choice. For our financial files we picked red because to us, red screams "super important"(a red flag, if you will). Once you determine what color each category will be it's time to make a purchase. We like the ease of these file folders from Pendalfex. The tab is already attached in place, just flip it up and seal it in place.

Related Organizing Posts

• Good Looking Active Files

• Faux Bois File Folders

• How To: Create a Table of Contents for Your Files

[Image from imhere]