Do you have a filing system?

Two drawer filing cabinet in the study and a heap of paper on the desk waiting for action or the" I have no idea what to do with this file" the three drawer cabinet in the garage welcomed a shredder van a few weeks ago. All our remaining business files are now compost. Made me very happy.

I have a small unit from IKEA in the bedroom which has 3 slim drawers and a hanging file section. All bills, driving documentation, insurances etc are kept in lever arch files in separate polly pockets . Plus all my divorce papers in another as still don't trust what ex husband might do in the future ( long unpleasant story) Birth certificates, baptism/ confirmation etc also filed and ex work materials kept in folders and box files in case useful for present job . Have also kept all accountancy and HMRC paperwork forum the time I was self employed . It all makes sense to me me , not all of it would make sense to DC when I'm dead but then I won't mind

My DS1 and DiL1 are very organised - and do something which I think we should all do: they scan their receipts straight away.

As I have some receipts which were printed on thermo-sensitive paper and which have faded to illegibility, I would say there is a lot of sense in that!

I do have a huge box of receipts and instructions for use that I intend to go through with DH when the evenings get darker - we both seem to have various files of these things, as well as the box of loose papers, and if we chucked out all the papers referring to old vacuum cleaners and radios which we don't have any more, we could probably reduce it to one file.

As for all the legal and insurance stuff, DH deals with all that. I hope to be able to sit down with him on another long evening and have him show me where everything is. You never know.

Yes, a large metaland lockable filing cabinet in the study.
All bills, receipts and guarantees etc kept in it, as well as bank and medical stuff.

I must get cracking on making my new files, and filing all new bills etc. I haven't done anything yet.

Yes, I file things in marked folders and go through them from time to time and get rid of stuff that is definitely no longer needed.

It makes for a much easier life.

I thank heaven that DH had a very good filing system when I was sorting out papers for probate. In Cyprus we needed the last three years of his personal tax accounts and proof of payment, as well as his medical card, bank account statements, house utility receipts. car registration, and other documents, all easily found. But I still have no idea why the last 8 years of supermarket till rolls were filed!

I have a cardboard box and Manila folders. The box fits perfectly under the bed. There are separate folders for each bank account, Wills, car insurance, house insurance, receipts, passports and related docs, etc. Can find anything immediately.

Have a yearly clear out.
Reckon this comes from a lifetime of secretarial work.

It seems like everyone uses filing cabinets and paper copies. I must be weird because I use an online filing cabinet of sorts - www.adminbox.co.uk. You get reminders before you auto-renew and you can write notes on each agreement you have, and upload files to your account. Makes my life easier.

greyhairfern - you're not the only one.
rubytut on the previous page does the same, and many of my younger friends and relatives also.
I would do it too if I had the technical know-how.
My husband has a programme on his 'puter which collects all his incomings and outgoings and produces a spreadsheet. Which I refer to when completing his self assessment tax return online.
He leaves that to me
I've done all my new filing now.

Having acted as executor to a relative's estate last year, I am now very aware of the need to leave things in order for my daughters. Although most of my bills are online, I also have paper copies of most stuff, as I am not sure whether anyone else would be able to access my online accounts if I were to die or become incapable of managing my affairs.

My filing cabinet has most current documentation, e.g. insurance, car MOT, guarantees, receipts, and bank statements (paper copies mean I can scribble notes reminding myself what any large transactions are). I also have some box files with archived bank statements and details of closed savings accounts. Once or twice a year I remove and shred anything older than seven years.

Important certificates (birth, marriage, etc) are also in the filing cabinet. You need, ideally, to produce the birth certificate when registering a death, so it should be kept somewhere accessible (and not, as with my elderly relative, in a metal box fixed to the floor at the back the coat-cupboard!). A copy of my Will and a note saying where the original is stored are also there, and the Land Registry documents for the house. Some things need to be stored as original documents, even if you back them up by scanning to computer.