Get Organized: Are You a Piler or a Filer?
Tote out the bins and baskets and learn how to be an organized piler if file cabinets leave you cringing
I read an article in a magazine years ago that changed my life. In an interview a professional organizer essentially said, “There are filers and there are pilers. Too often pilers try to turn themselves into filers, and they shouldn’t.” I was astonished. Cue the heavenly chorus; it was as if I’d been given permission to be myself after years of trying — and failing — to organize my papers.
This is what I came up with. In the corner of our living room we had an underused closet. We removed the doors and installed wood shelves, which I painted the lightest robin's egg blue. I wanted it to be pleasing, since it would be in constant view. I found these pretty green baskets. They weren't exactly what I wanted, but too often I'll put something off while I try to find the perfect and most economical option. This time I was happy with good enough. I knew there were cuter ways to label the baskets, but again I didn't want to allow the vision of perfection to keep me from something that worked. In this case that was plain 3-by-5 cards, which I cut down, labeled appropriately, punched a hole in and tied to the baskets with leftover ribbon from Christmas.
How My Piling System Worked
Each of my children, my husband (Paul) and the dog had a basket. My younger daughter had two, because she was enrolled in a Mandarin immersion program half the day and a Western classroom the other half. It was easier to keep the papers separate. There was a basket for receipts, which were for tax purposes or items I might have needed to return. There was a basket for manuals: large and small appliances, as well as major home systems, like our furnace, air conditioner and water heater. I had a basket I broadly named "Writing," because I was working on a book and beginning to freelance. It held notes, receipts and articles I wanted for research. There were several other baskets, with more planned, but I can't remember the categories.
We still had a filing cabinet for long-term records and Paul's business, but this was for me and — miracle of miracles — it worked until our house burned down. In our new home, I have a modified system of the baskets and a filing cabinet that I am actually capable of using. Now I have baskets for each of the kids and my husband, as well as one each for my writing, receipts, manuals and the dogs. I'm going to sort through the dogs' basket. Because their records are generated only once a year, I know I can handle filing them in the filing cabinet.
How My Piling System Worked
Each of my children, my husband (Paul) and the dog had a basket. My younger daughter had two, because she was enrolled in a Mandarin immersion program half the day and a Western classroom the other half. It was easier to keep the papers separate. There was a basket for receipts, which were for tax purposes or items I might have needed to return. There was a basket for manuals: large and small appliances, as well as major home systems, like our furnace, air conditioner and water heater. I had a basket I broadly named "Writing," because I was working on a book and beginning to freelance. It held notes, receipts and articles I wanted for research. There were several other baskets, with more planned, but I can't remember the categories.
We still had a filing cabinet for long-term records and Paul's business, but this was for me and — miracle of miracles — it worked until our house burned down. In our new home, I have a modified system of the baskets and a filing cabinet that I am actually capable of using. Now I have baskets for each of the kids and my husband, as well as one each for my writing, receipts, manuals and the dogs. I'm going to sort through the dogs' basket. Because their records are generated only once a year, I know I can handle filing them in the filing cabinet.
Of course, this system is not for everyone. Soon after it was finished, I showed my closet to a friend. Without missing a beat she told me about her system, which was this folder she had found that held many files and expanded. She loved it because she was able to have all their important documents right at hand. It was so simple!
I just stared at her. She was talking about an accordion file. Did she think I would go to all this trouble if I could handle a stinking accordion file?
If you are on the other end of the spectrum, clapping your hands at the thought of buying a bunch of new baskets, I want to caution you. I set this up after I had done substantial decluttering throughout our entire home. I had gotten rid of truckloads of belongings and donated the many bins and boxes themselves. This wasn't just another attempt at finding a way to make my clutter manageable. I had minimized to a level I could manage, but papers were my Waterloo.
Are you a filer or a piler? Do you have an unconventional method of organization? What has worked for you?
More guides to getting organized
I just stared at her. She was talking about an accordion file. Did she think I would go to all this trouble if I could handle a stinking accordion file?
If you are on the other end of the spectrum, clapping your hands at the thought of buying a bunch of new baskets, I want to caution you. I set this up after I had done substantial decluttering throughout our entire home. I had gotten rid of truckloads of belongings and donated the many bins and boxes themselves. This wasn't just another attempt at finding a way to make my clutter manageable. I had minimized to a level I could manage, but papers were my Waterloo.
Are you a filer or a piler? Do you have an unconventional method of organization? What has worked for you?
More guides to getting organized
Searching for something under duress is awful. Even though it always left me demoralized, I did it far too often. I tried to change. Ask anyone who has lived with me; I was always trying to get organized. I bought a filing cabinet and on too many occasions, spent hours getting all my papers filed. But I could never seem to sustain it. All too soon papers were heaped on top of the cabinet and in my favorite stashes around the house. I felt like such a loser.
And then — wonder of wonders — I learned I was a piler, which gave me the hope to figure out something that worked for me.