Did you know that 54% of Americans feel overwhelmed by clutter in their lives and have no idea how to start getting organized? If you work in a law office, clutter is not just unsightly, it can cost you cases, prospective clients, and even your reputation. No one wants to be known as the lawyer, who can’t get their stuff together.
Organizing your legal files is key to saving time and effort. It means you always know where that one crucial document is.
If your office needs an organization re-vamp, you’ve come to the right place. Read on for our top legal file organization tips!
1. Start Where You Are
Start by going over your current organization system and assessing how bad the situation is. Does your system generally work, minus a few hiccups? Or is it total chaos?
Think about general complaints, file mishaps, and areas you can improve. Then, declutter. Go through absolutely every file and paper and shred everything you don’t need anymore.
Decluttering will free up space and give you a blank canvas for your new system.
2. Find Your Organizational Style
There’s no one-size-fits-all legal filing system, so you need to figure out what works best for you. Do you like stacking things in piles based on topic? Do you like to spread things across the desk?
If you’re a stacker, you might benefit from a few document trays on your desk so you can keep relevant files on hand. If you’re a spreader, you might benefit from a well-organized filing drawer, so you can keep your desk space clean for spreading.
3. Label Absolutely Everything
If you spend a whole day reorganizing your law office, it’s sure to fall into chaos if you can’t find where you put things. For that reason, we recommend labeling everything. Every drawer and tray should have a label, and every file should have one too.
This makes your organization system more likely to stick. If you’re looking for the best way to label your files, we recommend TabShop for clean, easy-to-find file tabs.
4. Clear the Digital Clutter
Clutter evokes images of a giant mess, but it can also apply to your digital world too. Do you ever have trouble keeping up with your calendar or responding to a client’s email because you don’t see it? This can cause you to lose business.
Take the time to go through all your saved documents and emails, and label them with all the relevant tags. Keep your email inbox as clean as possible. This ensures you’ll be able to get back to your clients in a timely manner, and won’t risk missing important, time-sensitive information.
Start Organizing Your Legal Files Today
With these tips, you can revolutionize how you store your legal files. Dedicate the time to going through everything in your office and establishing a system you can keep up with, and you’re sure to notice the benefits. You’ll have more time, your documents will be easier to find, and your clients and coworkers will be much happier.
If you enjoyed these organizational tips for lawyers, we have lots of similar content on our blog. Check it out for more!
