Take a peep into almost any office filing cabinet in your area and you are sure to find classic (read: boring) filing materials being used in classic (read: predictable) ways. With the vast array of office supplies now available, maybe it is time to shake things up and begin to examine how a simple change in filing supplies can not only improve the appearance of an office, but also can legitimately help with your organization and productivity.

Colorizing Your Filing System

It is about time to retire the ubiquitous manila file folder in the drab green hanger that we have all been staring at for the past century. With file folders available in lavender, red, buttercup, pink, and gray and hanging folders to match, there is no longer any reason for today’s office to resemble a Cold War-Era military recruitment office. Not only will a pop of color brighten things up around the office but by assigning differently colored folders to different tasks, accounts, staff, or any other designation, your filing system can increase productivity and reduce errors.

Imagine this scenario: a property manager has 5 different properties to oversee. She sets it up so that each property is assigned a different colored folder. Then, when a call comes into the office regarding a particular property, the manager is able to grab the appropriate folder at a quick glance without needing to read the actual label.

Expanding File Folders

As efficient as multi-colored file folders are, they are still vulnerable to some of the same downfalls as their manila predecessors. The most common of these is over-stuffing.

It is an all too familiar situation. When the file is initially created, there are only a few pages in it, but, as time goes on, more papers are added. Before long, the file folder is beyond capacity but creating a second file reduces the convenience of being able to grab what is needed in one shot.

Another potential downfall of file folders is their inability to hold or contain anything except paper documents. In today’s digital workplace, office workers or managers also need to keep things such as CDs, thumb drives, tools, or keys on file. Placing these items in a standard file folder allows them to be accessed at a moment’s notice but leaves them very susceptible to falling out and being lost.

Fortunately, the solution to both of the above challenges is to use file expansion pockets. Resembling small accordion files, these file pockets are just the right size to fit perfectly into a filing system and can accommodate more paperwork than a standard file folder can, and have the sides needed to safely hold small items that aren’t flat, or are more likely to fall out of a standard file folder.

Today’s office requires a much greater workload, and to move at such a fast pace it is more important than ever to ensure that the systems that are in place contribute to the efficiency of the work environment. If you are finding that inefficient filing systems are taking time away from your first priorities, it can be a sign of poor organization and sloppy processes. Taking a closer look at your office’s filing system is the next step. Updating and upgrading filing supplies will naturally help smooth your workflow and restore order to your business.