Alternate to Filing

Filing is a great way to store paper. But let's just face the fact that Righties often take issue with it.
1. if you don't do it regularly you get a pile.
so
2. why not just pile in the first place
and
3. I know where things are in my piles so why should I put things in a drawer or box because then I won't know where they are anymore.

There are some handy alternatives for those who don't want to file because it is more work or suffer from OOSOOM (out of sight, out of mind).

My favorite is using stacking trays because you can get lots of them and at least have categorized stacks. The same principles apply as in filing, but you will need broader categories so that you don't have 137 or more trays.
These fun colored trays are from See Jane Work

Begin with the action trays: To Do, To Go, To File, To Pay and Someday
That can be one stack.
2nd Stack will be home papers: House, Finances, Insurance, Health, Personal
This only works well if you're willing to cut the crap and just save the minimum amount of stuff.
If you are an info-holic, you gotta pick another route because you'll end up with too many trays to manage.

Other handy bins, buckets and trays:
coupons to use
receipts to keep/file/toss later
schedules

The people at Pendaflex did a bunch of research and found that there are a ton of people who actually prefer piling to filing and they created some great products to make your piling more workable.

My favorite is the Pilesmart files .
You can see into them and lay them across your desk with just the tab showing or the whole thing showing.
There are a variety of these with write-on tabs on the side or bottom.
The files also make it easy to take your action items on the go.

Lots of people will tell you all kinds of rules about managing paper, but there is only one rule
Find out what works for your style.
Do what works for you
And make it work!