But before my recommendation, here are some truisms about filing:

1.  Stacks of paper are just that. Stacks. They are only good for starting fires.

2.  Random boxes (occasionally labeled) are not filing systems.

3.  Notebooks (much as I love them) are not necessarily organized.

4.  Alphabetical filing systems are rarely alphabetical (what word do you choose to file by?).

5.  Piles, even neat piles, are not filing systems. See #1.

So, here's the solution: buy and use "The Paper Tiger(R)" software. Here's why:

1.  It's organized by number. Visualize all the files in your cabinet having a number - starting with "1" and ending with a number that corresponds with your last file. This might be 67 or it might be 867). Visualize all your notebooks with numbers on the spine (rather than words). Visualize all the boxes in your storage unit with numbers on them.

2.  As you are inputting the information into your Paper Tiger(R) database, you will identify the key words that you might think of to describe the file.

3.  Let's say you have a file that is a list of committee members. You can list "Morale Committee," as the name of the file and then have "Phil, Betty, John, Betsy and Marcia," "Summer Shindig," and on and on as your "key words." When you type any (or all) of these words into your program, it will lead you to the numbered file.

4.  Finding files that you have "paper tigered" is as easy as using a good search engine. You type in a word or words and are directed to where you've stored the information.

5.  You can add files until the end of time, and you won't be jamming them in a too-tight file drawer (because it's organized by number, new files are added at the end or the system knows where you have open numbers).

6.  Other people can be trained to use your system and either file new items for you or retrieve files as you need them. This is quite different from trying to get someone else to "think" like you do so they can figure out your categories, naming system, and so forth.

I use it myself--everyday. I can't recommend it highly enough. It's not available in retail stores but you can find it on-line very easily. Every teacher and principal will be amazed at the difference that Paper Tiger Software will make. The company's guarantee (and it's true ) is that you can find anything you've filed in 5 seconds or less.

(c) 2008 by Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D., "The Ph.D. of Productivity"(tm). Through her company, Emphasis on Excellence, Inc., Meggin McIntosh changes what people know, feel, dream, and do. Sound interesting? It is!