Easy to Use Filing System for People with ADHD

In the previous post (go here if you haven't read it yet), I described an easy way to manage the backlog of papers in your home.*

Now I'll describe my super easy to use filing system for papers you identified as "file."

There are a few ways you can do this.

One method is to use an accordion file folder.  This is for young people just starting out, people who do not have a bunch of responsibilities, and those who have just a few key papers to file.  You simply label a tab within the accordion file folder with what it needs to contain, sort the papers into each labelled slot, and you're done.   It sounds so simple!

But future filing and retrieving using an accordion file is a four-step process:  pick up the file (most are kind of wobbly), open the thing by unfastening it, drop in the paper, then re-fasten it to keep it shut.

Doesn't work so well for folks with ADHD.

If you have ADHD, you need a ONE STEP motion (not a four step process) to file and retrieve papers. 

If you have ADHD, the best and easiest idea

1.  keeps your files visible,
2.  keeps the papers contained, and
3.  makes filing new papers a ONE STEP motion.

Enter the desktop file box or file organizer.  Here are a few examples of what to use. 

Blue desktop file organizer

Silver mesh file organizer

You will need letter size hanging folders to go with these.  Click here to see what I mean.  You will only need seven of them.

Then you will need manilla (not vanilla, but manilla) file folders.  Here are some examples.  You will need more than 7 but fewer than 50, depending upon your age, responsibilities (homeowner, parent, pet owner, vehicle owner, job, etc.), and other complicating factors.

Once you purchase the hanging file folders, gather seven of them and label each as follows:

Auto/Vehicles
Employment
Financial
Home
Medical
Personal Documents
School

Now hang them in your desktop file organizer, in that order.  Voila!  An alphabetically ordered file system.  Aren't we fancy?

Next, begin going through your "Act" box of papers, and rough sort each paper into a hanging file FOR NOW.

Anything car or vehicle (boat, trailer, ATV) related gets dropped into the "Auto/Vehicles" hanging folder.

Any paper pertaining to your job (resume, background check, trainings, letters of reference) you put in the "Employment" file.

Any bank statements, retirement account statements, loan papers, or other financial institution related papers goes in the "Financial" file.

Your lease or home loan papers, utility statements, and warranties for the flat screen and the Switch go in the "Home" file.

A receipt from the dentist, statement from the doctor's office, and info from the pharmacy for the medication you are currently taking gets dropped into the "Medical" file.

The "Personal Documents" folder will contain birth certificates, divorce or marriage certificates, passports, Social Security cards, etc.  (Some people think this is awful and will tell you to store these documents in a fire safe or in a bank's safety deposit box.  Use your best judgment on this one.  I'm trying to keep it simple.  All of these documents can be replaced if they get lost or destroyed.)

Anything related to education goes in the "School" file.  If you don't have kids and are done with school yourself, skip the "School" file.  Yee-haw!

Eventually, all your crucial "file" papers should fit into this tabletop system.

If they don't, your life is either uber complicated, you're overthinking this, or you are utterly overwhelmed.

If needed, get a bigger desktop file folder.  Something like this.

Ok, enough for today.  Next time I will explain a bit on how to use the manilla file folders to keep those fancy hanging folders from getting too messy.

Take a deep breath, and relax.  You CAN get a handle on your papers!

* This post contains links to external websites.  I am not compensated in any way for profiling these products, these companies, or for providing links.  Clicking on the links will take you to either Amazon or Staples so you can see the kind of products I'm talking about.  In case you're still reading this, and if you have ADHD (any type), I purposely put in clickable links to make this subject more interesting, and also to work WITH the challenge you may face with focusing on boring junk.  It makes this topic and post less boring. 

The Life Changing Magic of Managing Paperwork (with ADHD!)

Individuals living with ADHD have so many strengths.  But generally speaking, managing paperwork isn't one of them.  Mismanagement of household paper flow can cause you to experience increased stress:  paying missed session fees to doctors and other medical offices for missed appointments, incurring late fees for misplaced bills, missing events due to lost invitations, and experiencing anxiety due to feeling out of control when it comes to paperwork.

I'm here to help you get control of your papers, especially if you have ADHD.

Here's something to try for getting control of your backlog of papers (with apologies to Marie Kondo):

There are three things to do with any given piece of paper.  Ready?

1.  Act

2.  File

3.  Out

It's really this simple.

Depending upon your age, responsibilities, amount of paper you already have, and the volume of paper coming in, this simple process can take an hour or two, or a month or two of diligent, daily work.

To begin, gather two boxes or bins large enough to hold standard size office paper.  Label the boxes (with removable sticky notes or a thick marker) "Act" and "File."

You will also need a trash can and a cross cut paper shredder:  these are for the Out category.

Set a timer for 10 minutes, yes, just 10 minutes.  Pick up a small stack of random paper and beginning with the top paper DECIDE RIGHT THEN its home:  Act, File, Out (trash/recycle or shred).

When the timer rings, put the Act and File boxes away, put away any remaining papers you didn't have time to go through (as in, put them back on top of the stack from which you grabbed them in the first place), take out the trash/recycling, and put away the shredder.

Reward yourself in some small way after each 10 minute session:  a cup of your favorite flavored drink, a quick call to your best friend, your favorite low calorie snack, a short bike ride to watch the sunset, light a pretty candle, or give yourself a foot massage.  Rewarding yourself after an unfavorable job can help you get through it, and sets you up to perhaps look forward to the next paper management session.

This is the process of managing your backlog, over and over and over.

I will write soon on how to create an easy-to-use filing system, and on a daily/weekly paper flow routine to keep incoming paper from overwhelming you.

But this is a great start!