Comments on: Super Simple 2-Hole Punch Filing System

By: Mike Beato

Mike Beato — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:41:03 +0000

The answer is: It depends. Here are the specific recommendations

By: Stephen

Stephen — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 22:28:49 +0000

What’re your views on data retention? 20 years of electronic accounting data is easy and cheap to store but how about the paper files?

By: How I Use ‘All My Files’ in Mac OSX Lion

How I Use ‘All My Files’ in Mac OSX Lion — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:35:34 +0000

[...] office filing system for paper documents. For over 20 years I’ve been doing what I call a Super Simple 2-Hole Punch System. I file my paper bills, receipts, statements and check stubs in a continuous stack on a 2-hole [...]

By: Mike Beato

Mike Beato — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:57:27 +0000

Yes, iBank does offer direct downloading of (many) bank statements. You can check the supported list on this page: http://www.iggsoftware.com/ibank/ofx_info.php

By: Ellen Stay

Ellen Stay — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:54:39 +0000

Thanks, Mike – I’m going to try that! About iBank… I’ve been getting frustrated with Quicken too. Are you able to download your statements directly into iBank, the way you can into Quicken?

By: LuftMensch

LuftMensch — Fri, 14 May 2010 17:23:18 +0000

@Jason: The reason this system works is that it’s really an indexed system, but the index is “hidden.” It’s hidden in the sense that it’s a chronologically based system – the beginning/ending dates of each folder. So, down the road, if you need to refer back to something, you’ll find it by looking for the approximate time frame, which should lead you to the right folder. Additionally, if you use a personal finance program like Quicken etc…, an additional index is created – the check number used to pay the bill. In that instance, you could do a text search in Quicken, for example, to find all mortgage statements paid to [BankName], which will then give you the check numbers for each payment. Once you have the check number, you can easily find each individual statement. (Just an example; not sure why you would want to, but you could).

By: Mike Beato

Mike Beato — Fri, 14 May 2010 17:11:25 +0000

Jason, Those are good questions!

As you I’m sure you know, there are many filing methods… and I’ve tried a lot of them over the years. But I would always have a stack of paper/receipts “waiting” to be filed. So to answer your specific questions: other methods could work, but procrastination always got the best of me! My contemporaneous 2-hole punch method is so simple and fast that I never have anything waiting to be filed… I just punch and add to the top of the clipboard stack.

In practice, I have a couple clipboards that hold different broad categories of paperwork. One for business, one for personal, and a third clipboard that holds certain tax-related paperwork that I know I’ll need when it’s time to file my taxes.

I try to minimize client-related paperwork when possible by relying on electronic files when I can. This, of course, makes it easier to search for items on my computer. And as I’ve focused on electronic documents, I’ve made a real effort to establish a good backup routine, which I documented in another blog post: http://bit.ly/8u2qNN

Hope this helps!

By: Jason

Jason — Fri, 14 May 2010 16:05:14 +0000

I like this system, but I am curious. Why use this system over a file for each customer?

-Is it that each customer will require different amounts or paperwork making it unwieldy?
-Is it that putting everything into a specific folder for each customer every time will incurr procrastinantion and poor filing?
-Is this the best way to keep data by quarter and year for taxes?
-Would this work for anything other than bills? Project files, research, etc?

By: jc2mm

jc2mm — Fri, 14 May 2010 02:55:10 +0000

I’ve used this for the last 20 or so years – got introduced to it while in the Marine Corps – these folders travel well, things never fallout. /JC/

By: Create A Simple Two-Hole Punch Filing System | Lifehacker Australia

Create A Simple Two-Hole Punch Filing System | Lifehacker Australia — Thu, 13 May 2010 22:02:15 +0000

[...] Super Simple 2-Hole Punch Filing System [Beato] Tagged:billsclutterdocumentsfilingstorage [...]

By: Rick English

Rick English — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:20:13 +0000

I was introduced to this system almost ten years ago. While it seems overly simple, it worked out great for someone that tends to be disorganized and procrastinates. Absolutely invaluable for those that are self-employed.
R.