unknown
May 6, 2026
The best filing system? The one where every piece of paper goes in the bin
Over the years, I’ve tried many ways of keeping track of my paperwork – each one worse than the last. Drastic action is called for
TL;DR
- The author struggles with an overwhelming amount of paperwork, including forms, bills, statements, and receipts.
- A friend who worked in a private school would discard all paperwork at the end of each term, returning to a clear desk.
- The author admires this friend's approach but lacks the courage or irresponsibility to adopt it.
- The author's own filing system is shambolic, keeping everything because deciding what to discard is too time-consuming.
- Attempts to go paperless or photograph documents have been unsuccessful or impractical.
- Filing cabinets are described as bloated, nameless, and filled with bent and failing suspended files.
- The author notes the unclear rules about how long to keep documents and the difficulty in applying them.
- Ultimately, the author believes their filing system is worthless because they cannot locate specific documents when needed, comparing it to their brain at a pub quiz.