A simple retention system is
the answer to clutter problems

Dear Ms. Schechter,

    Almost everyone (eight people) in my office has a problem with paper clutter. It looks awful, but what’s worse is that too much time is spent looking for documents. I’m embarrassed to admit that my desk is the worst - and I’m the supervisor.

    What can I do to get things under control?

- Disorganized Downtown

Dear D.D.,

    Like many people nowadays, you and your staff apparently have contracted a contagious condition I call "Paperosis misplacea." Paperosis is the visible manifestation of information-related chaos; or, to put it simply -piles and piles of paper.

    Computers haven't helped, of course. In fact, many paperosis-plagued people even end up using their computers as pedestals on which to stack more piles of paper. And faxes have only made things worse: According to a study by Boston-based Business Information Systems, last year an estimated 35 billion sheets of office paper were used in fax machines. So it’s no wonder that paperosis is reaching epidemic proportions.

    Here's how to cure paperosis - or at least get it under control:

1. When in doubt, throw it out? Not always! Keep in mind there are two main types of paper documents: records and resources. Records are finite in quantity, but resources are infinite because of the Information Age. Therefore, by all means dump resource materials such as old trade journals or seminar handouts you'll probably never look at. But when it comes to financial or legal records, the opposite rule applies: When in doubt, don’t throw it out.
2. Create a records' retention program. Old records can be stored in file storage boxes. Files should be purged annually according to a schedule you establish. Doing this consistently keeps paper clutter problems to a minimum. (For information on where to get records retention guidelines, call ARMA, the Association of Records Managers and Administrators: 1-800-422-2762.)
3. Establish paperwork systems and maintenance procedures that can be delegated. If your filing system is frustrating to use and your paper-flow procedures are nonexistent, you can’t expect your harried staff to help you maintain order. Keep things simple so you won’t have to micro-manage every detail. Color code and categorize your systems, and you'll be on your way to curing paperosis in your office.

    If you have a workplace organizing problem, write to Harriet Schechter, c/o Metropolitan Magazine, 656 Fifth Ave., Suite M, San Diego, CA 92101; fax 233-4272.