Home office paperwork can be difficult to organize because you need the perfect solutions that combine function and beauty. Especially if you have a ton of business and personal papers to sort and store, and you don’t want your home office to look like an actual commercial office! These are my favorite home office paperwork organizers and what types of papers I store in each!
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I run three businesses out of my home office. As a one-woman show.
I am the Accounts Receivable department, Accounts Payable department, Payroll department, office manager, executive assistant, and do-er of all the things. So it’s safe to say that I deal with a lot of different papers.
And over the years, I’ve mastered the art of organizing all of my business and household papers into tidy systems. In fact, if I were to pinpoint my two biggest strengths in terms of home management it would have to be organizing paperwork (including setting up home filing categories) and keeping track of our family’s finances – which I do with my ride-or-die money tracking spreadsheet that I created!
So I thought that I would let you in on my top 5 favorite paper organizers and how I use each type of product to keep paper clutter at bay:
Vertical Wall File
A vertical wall file is a set of file holders mounted on a wall, designed to hold and organize papers, important documents, and folders. It helps keep your desk clear by providing an easy-to-reach, space-saving solution for sorting paperwork. This type of organizer is especially great if you have a small desk or storage area, because it can hold a ton of paperwork on the wall, reducing clutter and maximizing your workspace.
How I Use a Vertical Wall File:
My wall file holds papers that I need to access quickly as well as incoming paperwork that needs to be filed. Since my wall file paper organizer has so many sections, I even have one devoted to receipts for items that have been recently purchased for my kids, just in case I need to do a return or exchange.
I use the divided sections of my wall file for the following:
- paperwork to file – If you have multiple businesses or you want to keep personal and work-related paperwork separate, then you can also create multiple sections for “To File”.
- business paperwork that I may need to access in the next few days – I have one section labeled for each business so that I can easily find what I need.
- personal receipts – Whether it’s for holiday gifts or back to school shopping, I always end up having to do returns, so I started keeping personal receipts in my vertical wall file. So easy to just drop them in the correct slot when I get home from the mall!
- paperwork for kids to keep handy – Things like field trip reminders, cheerleading fundraiser sheets, etc. get stored here.
- miscellaneous papers – Since my wall file has plenty of space, I kept one slot open for other papers that didn’t quite fit into a different category.
*TIP – I’ve found that it’s best to use a vertical wall file as temporary paper storage. Because the papers tend to “bend over” (as you can see in the photo above), you may not want to leave items in this type of organizer for too long. That’s why I mainly use my wall file for paper to be filed or papers that I know I’m going to need in the next week or so.
The Wall File I Have and Recommend:
I would err on the side of having too many dividers instead of too few. The 8 pocket wall file folder holder that I have comes in three colors – white, silver, or black – and it’s also available with 3, 5, and 10 tiers. My file holder was very easy to hang, but you will need to screw holes in your wall and use sheet rock anchors to install it.
This is the wall file holder that I have and love!
Magazine Files/Holders
Magazine file holders are another one of my favorite paper organizers, because they stand up and fit most standard-sized shelves. This type of paper storage is perfect for grouping like items, and you can use a label maker to label the front of each bin to easily find what you need.
Depending on your aesthetic, you can have the magazine files face backward (so that they hide the papers and files inside) or front so you can see what each one holds. I prefer to keep my organizers with the long side facing outward for a cleaner look.
How I Use Magazine File Holders:
I use my magazine files to store the following papers and supplies:
- Business checkbooks
- Envelopes – Letter-sized envelopes, manilla envelopes, USPS Priority Mail envelopes
- Other paper-type supplies that I need to store – Like lamination pouches for my laminator
- Important documents that I may need to reference
- Printables that I create
The Magazine Files that I Have:
My gray canvas covered file holders are from Target’s Threshold brand. These particular organizers are no longer available to purchase, but Target now carries some that are very similar made by Brightroom. They are super sturdy and good quality, and at only about $10-$12 each, you can buy 4 or 5 to organize lots of different papers.
3-Ring Binders
Three ring binders are an excellent tool for organizing home office paperwork because they allow you to categorize and store documents in a neat, orderly manner. With the ability to add dividers and labeled tabs, you can easily organize paperwork by category, project, or date. Binders also make it simple to add or remove pages as needed, keeping your records up-to-date without the mess of loose papers.
How I Use 3 Ring Binders for Paperwork:
Some of my most important business paperwork is stored in large 3 ring binders, because I can organize papers by month or category using printable tab dividers. I have one 4″ binder for all of my federal and state tax-related documents with tabbed sections for separate documents like 941 payments and forms, state revenue department, state labor department, etc.
I also have a separate 3 ring binder where I organize all receipts for business-related expenses by month. That way, at the end of the tax year, I can easily go through and add up expenses and transfer them to a spreadsheet for my accountant.
As the number of tax documents that I need to keep on file grows, I simply swap out my binder for a larger one. Easy peasy!
Other 3 Ring Binders to Make:
Here are some other suggestions for ways to get organized with 3 ring binders:
- Emergency Binder – What would happen if you or your spouse passed away? Does the other person know how to access all financial accounts and when bills are due? I created my “What If?” Emergency Binder after I almost died from a freak accident when I was in my mid-20’s, and it has been the best thing that I’ve ever done!
- Home Maintenance Binder – I made my home maintenance binder after I saw one at an open house for a home we were touring. It’s perfect for storing repair receipts, warranties, and keeping track of scheduled home maintenance.
File Folders and Labels
We can’t talk about paper storage and organization without mentioning the old school manilla file folders. Tabbed file folders are great for organizing home office paperwork because they allow for clear labeling and easy identification of documents. The tabs provide a space to write or attach labels, making it simple to categorize and find specific files at a glance.
How I Use File Folders to Organize Paperwork:
Most of my household paperwork is organized in a large filing drawer with file folders (as you can see below). This includes everything from insurance policies to medical records to official identification documents.
You can visit this post for a step-by-step guide to setting up a home filing system with file folders. Or if you’re just looking for ways to organize your files, then check out this post for 175 home file category ideas!
The Folders and Labels that I Use and Recommend:
I’ve found that most regular file folders are pretty much the same, so look for a pack that has the quantity of folders that you need. Definitely opt for the 3 tab variety, meaning that the included folders have 3 different tab positions – the far left, the middle, and the far right. This allows you to easily see all of the folder labels to quickly find the files that you need.
*TIP – When you’re organizing your paperwork files, be sure that you keep the tabbed folders in order like right tab, middle tab, left tab – as shown in the photo above. If not, you may have 3 or 4 right tab folders right next to each other in your filing drawer and it will be difficult to see the individual labels.
For the labels, I personally use printable file folder labels that I created to organize my own home office paperwork. These are super easy to use with 3 tab folders – just print on regular printer paper, cut out, and use packing tape to tape the labels onto the folder tabs.
You can grab my free printable file folder labels here – the template comes with over 100 different labels and you can even customize them with your own categories!
Stackable Paper Trays
Stackable paper trays are great for keeping various papers handy, and most are sized only slightly deeper than a US Letter sheet of paper (8.5″ wide), so they fit perfectly on most shelves. And because you can stack them, you can take advantage of vertical space – great for if you have a small desk area or lack shelving space.
How I Use Stackable Paper Trays:
Stackable paper trays are perfect for storing different types of printer paper – I use different weights or colors of paper based on the project, and I can keep my paper neatly organized and easily accessible with paper trays.
*TIP – You can use a label maker like mine to label the different trays to keep everything tidy.
I love the stackable trays for organizing paperwork so much that I have 6 of them, two different stacks, as you can see below. The second stack of trays includes space for “To Do” and “Work in Progress”. I also have a tray for spiral notebooks that I use for writing down recipes, notes, etc.
*Notice my Wall Calendar? My giant wall calendar is actually a printable that I created – and so many people LOVE it and reach out to me towards the end of the year to request the next year’s version! It’s one of my FAVORITE things in my office, and our family couldn’t function without it!
The Stackable Paper Trays I Use:
My gray canvas stackable trays are from Target’s Threshold brand. These particular organizers are no longer available to purchase, but Target now carries some that are very similar made by Brightroom. They are super sturdy and good quality, and at only about $7-$8 each, you can buy 4 or 5 to organize lots of different papers.
I hope these ideas help you get your family’s paperwork in order! How do you organize home office paperwork? Leave me a comment down below with your best tips!
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