JOYS Filing System – Where’s My Desk Wednesday

The biggest issue most people face when it comes to desk clutter is paper clutter. It’s hard for people to know what to do with all the paper that graces their desk everyday and also how to come up with a simple filing system that they can and will use.

Well, let me tell you about a product that I have not personally used, but I am looking into ordering it for my home. It’s called the JOYS Filing System. JOYS stands for Just Organize Your Stuff (I just love that name!) and the system was created by Cathy Anderson.

Here’s a description if the JOYS Filing System in Cathy’s own words:

I created this system for life (not work) and it’s called JOYS. JOYS is unique as it has been designed to help people organize personal information under 5 simple categories. The information can be in the form of papers, written or even digital.

JOYS was created by first by looking at all Topics possible. Topics are grouped into Subjects and then Subjects are assigned a Category based on a Category description. It was discovered that many Subjects could fall into more than one Category. So a system was developed using 5 Basic Categories, this allows a Subject to be classified into a primary Category by the use of COLOR and secondary Sub Category by the use of a GRAPHIC. It’s great for a piler because you can use only the five categories to start the process.

On her website, Cathy gives 3 main elements that make up a great filing system:

01. Make it Accessible.

A filing system will fail if drawers are too clogged or not conveniently located to make papers easily available.

So, Containerize. Keep like papers together and store them for how or when they will be needed.

02. Make it Consistent.

If a filing system is not properly coded or requires an index, locating or recovering papers becomes maddening.

So, Categorize. Filing your papers and personal information under consistent simple categories will help you quickly locate what you need.

03. Make it Simple.

File clutter is different than closet clutter, some papers are important and must be safely filed for years. The same can’t be said for any article of clothing. It is important to create a home filing system that is easy to use on a daily basis.

And, Familiarize. Nothing is easy when you are unable to make a decision. Eliminate some of the fear associated with tossing papers by knowing what papers are important. Take the time to chuck useless clutter every day.

 

I love these 3 elements and couldn’t agree more. If you are looking for a simple method to finally help you gain some control over the paper clutter in your home life, head over to the JOYS website and take a look at the system. It might just be the answer you are looking for.