I once saw a musical called I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. It was about romantic relationships, but the title came to mind recently when I decided to modify one of my favorite organizing systems, my tickler file. Oh, how I loved my tickler in the early years! But over time, my passion cooled. My tickler and I got into a rut.
A tickler file, in case you don’t know, is an easy way to organize and track your papers. There are 43 folders: one for each month, and 31 for each day of the month. (Read more about the tickler file system here. You can make your own or buy one.)
Using Aby’s suggestions, I created my own tickler with an inexpensive Itso bin from Target, some file folders, and a few sheets of scrapbook paper. I loved it immediately. The tickler file gave me a place to store and track my papers without taking up much space. I now had a spot for routine papers, plus the many types I hadn’t quite known what to do with, such as prescriptions that couldn’t be filled yet or tickets for an event later in the year. Since a tickler system only works if you check it daily, I set up a reminder on my PDA (remember those?) so I wouldn’t forget.
It worked great for many years. But then I started using my tickler less. I had fewer papers in it, and most of them did not require immediate action, so I often moved the same items from folder to folder. I started to skip checking the tickler, sometimes for days, because I thought I knew what was in it. Occasionally this got me into trouble, if there was something I should have taken care of but didn’t.
What happened? My life increasingly shifted to the electronic realm. I replaced my PDA with an iPhone and used it, along with Google Calendar, to track and remind me of most tasks and events and to store related information, like directions. In addition, more of the things I used to put in the tickler started coming by email: reminders from the orthodontist, school forms, invitations, you name it. I nearly always read and responded to them online. With more stuff entering my home via computer, there was less paper and less to go in the tickler.
Still, I hardly got rid of all my paper. And even though I sometimes ignored my tickler, I still loved it!
I realized that if we were going to stay together, both my tickler and I had to change. I kept the monthly folders, which I still found useful, but got rid of the daily ones. I replaced those 31 folders with just two, labeled Action and Waiting. The Action file is for those papers I had been moving but not dealing with, because they didn’t have specific deadlines. For example, it holds a reminder about an event in the fall; I still need to decide if I will attend. (If something needs quick action, I either do it immediately or create electronic reminders.) The Waiting file is for things I need to keep but that don’t require an action. Right now, it has a return form for some clothes I’d ordered online. When the company emails me to say it has received them and credited my account, I’ll toss it.
Without the daily prompt of looking through a folder, I needed a new way to make sure I remembered and dealt with the papers in my Action file. So now I schedule periodic times to go through this new file.
I still think the traditional tickler system is a great solution, and I continue to recommend it frequently. But my situation changed, so it stopped being the right solution for me. I don’t yet know if my modified version will be a long-term solution. So far, so good, but it’s possible that in the end I’ll decide we have to part ways after all.
My experience shows that sometimes even a successful organizing system needs to be revisited. This can happen for a lot of reasons. In my case, my habits changed, and so did the way I received information. You might have other reasons. Have you taken up a new activity that comes with new equipment or supplies? Are your growing kids wearing more or bigger clothes? Have you moved to a house with a smaller kitchen? You may need to rethink your systems. Sometimes you may have to leave your old systems behind.
Have you had to change or say goodbye to an organizing system in your house? Let me know in the comments below.
I did almost exactly the same thing! The change came for me when the last of our 5 children went to college! Talk about a shift in dynamics! So much less to deal with.
Wow, that’s a big change–the last of five! I can see how that would affect the kind of system you’d need.
I use a monthly system at home and just keep a box on my desk for papers that come in through the week and then I deal with them in one swoop on Saturday morning. I like your idea for an action and waiting folders as there are few that stay in the basket if they don’t have a time specific deadline.
At work I use a monthly tickler file and I also have Monday – Friday folders, a next week folder and a waiting for folder. This helps me stay organized on my desk too.
I love love love tickler files!
I like how you set up your systems. The key for me will be developing and maintaining the habit of going through my papers now that I don’t look every day. I’m doing what you do–setting up regular times to deal with them. So far it’s working!
I changed the laundry system when we moved house a few years ago. In the old house my laundry closet was slightly bigger than here and outside of the bathroom. It held all laundry supplies as well as the ironing board, iron etc. On top of the stacked washer/dryer I had 2 baskets, 1 for laundry supplies, 1 for ironing supplies.
Cleaning supplies were kept in a cabinet under the bathroom sink.
In our current home the laundry closet is smaller and right inside the bathroom. Ironing is now done in the bedroom – right next to the wardrobe – so all ironing supplies are in a bedroom closet now. The 2 baskets on top of the stacked washer/dryer now hold 1. laundry supplies and 2. cleaning supplies. This bathroom doesn’t have any cabinets other than the washer/dryer one so I was happy that I found a spot for the cleaning supplies.
Perfect example of adapting your organizing systems! I’m glad it worked out for you in the new place.
BTW, I have always liked the idea and look of a tickler file but never felt it would work for us, not enough papers.
Yes, it’s not for everyone, but it has really worked for me. The evidence is in the second picture, which is my actual file–as you can see, it has been used a lot. 🙂