This is a before picture of the filing system of a very busy, overwhelmed executive client of ours. The problem she was struggling with is a very common problem with entrepreneurs, her business grew very quickly. Doesn’t sound like a problem, does it? Actually it’s a good problem to have, but it causes a great deal of everyday stress because there are no systems in place to track or complete the endless amounts of office work you have as a business owner.

The problem with this filing system, and most of the ones that we see, is that there is no order to them at all. Most people tend to just create a file for anything they come across that they think they might need later and then stick it in the drawer with all of their other files. Because there is no system in place, they have no idea where to find what they need.

Another problem with this filing system is that there are so many different colored hanging file folders mixed together, in no certain order. The tabs are also in different places, in no certain order. It’s visually very overwhelming and chaotic; this is exhausting in itself.

Check back tomorrow for the dramatic after picture and explanation of the system we put in place for this client. Do your files look like this before picture?