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Paper Tiger to the Rescue -- Now What? 
(Drowning in Paper, Pennsylvania)

Dear Kathy,

Having just purchased the Paper Tiger, I am overwhelmed as to where to begin with my mounds of paper. I have several questions about how to get started. Can you help?

Sincerely,
Drowning in Paper


Dear Drowning,

Yes, I can help. Before addressing each of your questions, I will make some overall comments about the Paper Tiger.

You are about to launch an incredible software program that guarantees you will be able to find anything you file in 5 seconds or less!  That's backed up by my promise to you for a full refund of the purchase price if you do not find it to do everything I've said it will do. 

When I first used this software, I had to make a paradigm shift in the way I thought about my papers. First, I had always believed that I must keep similar papers together in my file drawers. So I had a section of files for medical, another section for legal, another one for financial, etc. Then one day I had a paper that was both medical and financial (some life insurance papers involving a medical test result). The question.where do I file it...under medical or financial?

With the Paper Tiger, you no longer need to file by categories. The paradigm shift is that the files are no longer physically stored next to each other in the drawer. But if you want to see all of your files from a given "category," you can do a word search and pull up a description of each file on the computer so they are all together on the screen. Of course, you file related papers together within a file, but the files themselves are not filed by any special category. This frees you up from having to decide which "category" a file should be filed in.

Before you get started, I recommend setting up a Tickler File system. Go to my Trim the F.A.T. article at http://www.orgcoach.net/trimthefat.html to read about how to set this up. The Tickler system is for papers which require specific action by you. All other papers which do not require specific action can be filed in the Paper Tiger system for future reference.

With all this in mind, I will answer each of your questions below.

With the Paper Tiger files, I was wondering if you keep manila folders in the hanging files to separate the numbers a bit more - say the main hanging file is numbers 1 to 50. Do you have folders in the file 1-10, 11-20, 21-30, etc.? 

Each hanging file is a single numbered file, so you do not need manila folders inside. Think of the hanging files the same way you would think of a single manila file in a typical filing system. The only difference is that these Paper Tiger files are permanent files with numbered labels instead of words describing the contents. Just as you would not put a bunch of unrelated papers together in one manila file, with the Paper Tiger you use each hanging file just as you would a single manila file. I'll give you an example of the ONLY EXCEPTION to this. One of my Action files looks like this on the Paper Tiger screen: 

ITEM # Action 25

ITEM NAME E-Trade

KEYWORDS Roth IRA, Education IRA, Kathy's account, stock market, monthly transactions

CATEGORY Financial

I have three accounts established with E-Trade (an online stock brokerage). Each of the three accounts do not have much paperwork, so I can easily keep them in one hanging file. I want to keep my E-Trade accounts together in one file, but I also want to keep the information on each account separate rather than mixed together, so I have created a single Paper Tiger file (Action 25). Inside my Action 25 hanging file I have 3 manila folders which are labeled as follows: Roth IRA, Education IRA, Kathy's Account. If I did not want to use manila folders, I could also paper clip these three groups of papers together for each of the accounts. When I do a word search to bring this file up, I can look up "E-Trade" or "Roth IRA." Either way, it will bring up Action 25 on the screen. 

Here is an example of a file I have created that does not have a manila folder inside it, and the contents simply sit inside the hanging file, all mixed together: 

This will be easier to understand after you have viewed the tutorial and load the software onto your computer.

I have piles of paper in my existing 2-drawer file cabinet. Should I just move all those piles out to get started with Paper Tiger? Until I buy a large file cabinet, this is all I have for file storage. 

Yes, you can start right away if you clear out you existing 2-drawer cabinet. I suggest purchasing some inexpensive file storage boxes from an office supply store. Sort the piles of paper into these boxes by priority. Box #1 will be first priority, Box #2 is second priority, and so on. Label the boxes with Post-it notes according to priority (so you don't deface the box with a marker). Then you can put your new Paper Tiger hanging/numbered files into the two drawers and begin entering item names and keywords into the Paper Tiger as you place papers into the corresponding file numbers. Once you have emptied the file storage boxes of the piles of paper, you can use them to keep archive files in a garage, basement, attic, or wherever you have storage space. 

I have no space for my tickler file until I buy more file cabinet space. So what do I do with it?

You can put your tickler file in a desktop file frame (under $10). See my photo of a ready-made tickler file at http://www.orgcoach.net/trimthefat.html (look under the ACT section of this article). Although you cannot see it in this photo, this tickler file system is hanging in a desktop unit. Use a stand-alone file box or crate that holds hanging files. The accordion part of the file rests on the bottom of the box in front of the red hanging files. The red hanging files are customized according to your particular needs. My Trim the F.A.T. article describes this in greater detail. NOTE: Until you get used to checking your tickler file daily, I recommend keeping it out in plain view. When it has become part of your daily habit, then you can move it inside a desk drawer if you prefer to have it put away and you have space in your desk file drawer. Be sure you keep it in a very accessible place, as you will check this daily...a crucial habit to form with a tickler system.

I'll check out the tickler system. I skimmed your newsletter and saw reference to two containers of some kind for the tickler system. Which one do you like best? How much is it? How about just using one of those plastic milk crate things?

A milk crate would provide you with a very large desktop tickler system. Unless you have a lot of material to file in your tickler system, this container will be too large and will take up a lot of desktop space. You can purchase a desktop file frame at your local office supply store. (These are 6" - 9" deep, and a milk create is about 15" deep.) They hold the accordion tickler system, as well as some hanging files (like the red ones in my Trim the F.A.T. article).

The accordion file and the hanging files are the two containers I mentioned, and I recommend using BOTH together. The dated part is for date-sensitive things (such as notes you wish to refer to for a phone conference next Tuesday -- you would put it in the accordion part for that date). The hanging files are for repetitive activities that are not necessarily date-sensitive (PAY is where you put bills to be paid; READ might be where you put mail you want to read; WRITE might be where you put letters you plan to respond to, or notes about an article you plan to write; DISCUSS might be where you put things you want to refer to when you meet with someone for a weekly meeting, etc). Review my Trim the F.A.T. article for more information on setting this up. The accordion tickler system I recommend (with tabs 1-31 for the current month and Jan-Dec. for other months of the year) are not carried in most office supply stores. I have to special order it in the Seattle area, and I purchase 20 at a time so I can provide them for my clients. If you cannot find a store in your area to order one for you, I can send you one for $20 plus postage. They are wonderful! Let me know if you want one. The file frames are available in all office supply stores for about $7-10. The hanging files usually come in boxes of 25 for $3.50 - $9.00 per box, depending on brand and color.

I am confused about the difference between the Action Files and the Tickler System Files. They seem to be the same thing - are they?

I wish that the pre-printed labels which came with the Paper Tiger software said ACTIVE rather than ACTION. A number of my clients find this to be very confusing. When I set up the software for my clients, in the computer I create REFERENCE and ACTIVE (instead of ACTION) locations. The ACTIVE Paper Tiger files are the files in your system that you use most often (usually kept in your desk drawer). The REFERENCE Paper Tiger files are the files you use less often (usually kept in a nearby file cabinet). If you choose, you can also set up other locations such as ARCHIVE or STORAGE (which would be stored even farther away than the REFERENCE files). Like you, I refer to the tickler files as the ACTION files. The ACTION files are labeled either for the date by which something requires action or for the type of action required by you (Pay, Read, Write, Call, etc.), as I've described in my Trim the F.A.T. article. I hope this helps you clarify the difference between your active files and your action (tickler) files. 

If you do not want to use the ACTION labels that came with the software to create your most active desk-drawer files, you can print labels for ACTIVE or DESK (or whatever you want to call the location)...or you can do as I do and put the word ACTIVE in the software but still use the pre-printed ACTION labels that came with your software. The down side of doing this is that the labels don't match the name in the software. The up side is that you won't have to print your own labels. 

If you choose to print your own labels, the Paper Tiger has a template set up for this. Follow these instructions: 

• Purchase some special paper from your online or local office supply store (I recommend the Pendaflex 1/5 cut 2" Laser Labels or the Avery #11136 1/5 cut 2" Worksaver Labels).

• Go to Reports and on the pull-down screen select Print Labels.

• In the Print Labels screen, select the Location you want to print labels for (you must have already created the Location to print the labels for it). 

• Select the Label Size (this depends on what paper you've purchased...or you can print on plain white paper and be prepared to do your own measuring and cutting). 

• Select Preview. 

• At the top of the screen there is a printer icon. Once you have your label paper in the printer, click on the printer icon and it will print. I recommend printing one page on the test sheet provided with your label paper -- just to make sure everything is lined up before putting your label paper in. Sometimes you must play with it a bit to get it lined up properly on the special perforated papers.

I'm going to get a new hanging file cabinet for my Paper Tiger files. Do you recommend specific file cabinet brands or models?

Although I do not recommend a particular brand or model, I do suggest that you ask yourself these questions before purchasing a file cabinet:

• How smoothly do the drawers slide in and out? Do the mechanisms work well?

• Does it have built-in places for the files to hang from, or do you have to purchase the file frames to insert inside each drawer for hanging files? (I strongly recommend the built-in kind.)

• Do you need the security of a lock? If so, does the file cabinet come with a lock?

• How many drawers do you need for your existing papers and for future growth? (NOTE: Most people have limited office space. You can store archive materials in file storage boxes in an area outside of the office.)

• What are the dimensions of the space you will put the new file cabinet(s) in? Be sure to measure before you buy.

• If you have legal files, do you really need legal size? Or are most of the papers inside your legal files 81/2 x 11? (Legal files are going out of style--even in law offices! Very few industries require legal size anymore.)

• Do you want lateral files or regular file drawers?

• How high do you want the drawers to be? With lower file drawers you do not have to stand up to access them -- you can wheel your chair over and look in the files while seated. With a 4-drawer file cabinet you must stand up for the top two drawers.

• Is color or material important to you? Natural wood is the most expensive. Metal is very popular and economical, and it comes in many colors.

This is going to be the hard part - getting down to actually DO IT and be done with the mess! What is your strategy? Finish a certain section of a room? Set a time limit? Which way do you stay motivated?

Different things motivate different people. I don't know you well enough to call this one for you. Here are some ideas for you to pick from:

• Pick the section of your office that is MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU and work ONLY on that section: the desk surface, the top right drawer, ONE pile on the floor, ONE corner of the office ... you get the idea. Once you feel a sense of accomplishment and experience the fruits of your labor, you will probably feel motivated to do more. Experience small wins first, and then move to the bigger tasks. 

• Set a beginning and ending time for yourself. You know how long your attention span is. If all you can handle is 30 minutes, then schedule 30 minutes and DO NOT answer the phone or allow any distractions (unless your house is on fire!). If you can handle 4 hours, then schedule an appointment with yourself for four hours. You decide the length of time and then stick to it. Treat it as you would an appointment with someone else. When you are done, reward yourself by doing something you love to do. (For me, it would have something to do with chocolate!) Even when working for a set amount of time, work one section at a time rather than bouncing all over the office. You'll feel a greater sense of accomplishment completing one section at a time. 

• Get someone to come in and help you. Ask a friend, relative, or professional organizer to help you stay on track. Again, don't allow any distractions. Stick to the task at hand--whether that be for a designated time or for a designated section of the room. 

• Ask a friend to hold you accountable or hire a coach to help you create a schedule and hold you accountable to it. Tell the friend or coach what your intentions are and when you plan to complete the task. Set it up so you will call or e-mail the person to tell them that you have or have not followed through with your intentions. IMPORTANT: Be sure that whoever you ask to hold you accountable will NOT judge you one way or the other. Holding accountability without judgment is crucial in order for you to feel supported. Judgment will turn your attention away from learning what got in the way for you, and toward being angry with the person making the judgment.

I was hoping beyond hope to do away with "categories" but it seems that the Paper Tiger is using categories to file things anyway. I think that is my main problem here. 

One of the beauties of Paper Tiger is that you can use Categories if you want to, and if it does not serve you to do so, you don't have to fill in that field. I use categories for some of my files, but not for all of them. Also, note that when I use a category, it does not change the location of the file. I might have a FINANCIAL file next to a BUSINESS file next to a PERSONAL file next to a file with no category listed. You can also add or change the category later, as you change your mind. All you have to do is go into the software and type in a word. The benefit of using a category is that I can ask Paper Tiger to bring up all of my LEGAL files, for example. I just did a search for the category titled LEGAL, and only three files came up--two were Reference files and one was an Archive file. None of them are PHYSICALLY next to each other in the file drawer, although on the computer screen they came up together when I did a search for that category. They came up as Archive 3, Reference 23, and Reference 67.

I found a lateral file that has a two-shelf unit with a small paper organizer above. Would it be a mistake to get something with shelves? The space would be welcome - but is it an invitation to pile paper again? 

Great catch! You are absolutely right about shelves being another place to pile papers. Basically, when I organize an office with a client, there are very few things I do not allow...one of them is undesignated space. If you get something with shelves, be sure you label the shelves for a designated purpose, and then discipline yourself to only use it for that purpose. For example, you could use such space for stationery, plain paper, envelopes, etc. Be sure to label it! Same goes for stacking trays -- not allowed unless they are labeled. I generally recommend labeled stacking trays for these three functions: INCOMING, OUTGOING, TO FILE. (Again, see my Trim the F.A.T. article for more details about this.) 

I didn't mention that I have a ton of design and computer books (3 cases full).

I recommend you go through these and ask yourself if they are clutter. (My definition of Clutter: Anything you own, possess, or do that does not enhance your life on a regular basis.) If you choose to keep these books, you can put numbers on them (Book 1, Book 2, etc.) and incorporate them into the Paper Tiger if that would help you. The book title serves as the ITEM NAME, and the table of contents or other describing elements are entered as the KEYWORDS. You can use CATEGORY if that makes sense. If you have notebooks, you can do the same thing. Put numbers on the notebooks (Notebook 1, Notebook 2, etc.) and do the same as for books.

As a client of mine, I will provide you with an access code to my Clients Only section of my website. Here you will find more tips on how to set up your Paper Tiger filing system.

If you decide that you want some assistance in setting this up, I am available to help you implement it. Let me know how I can be of assistance!

Happy Paper Taming,

Kathy Paauw
Paper Tiger Authorized Consultant
Professional Organizer and Certified Business Coach

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