How To Choose The Best Filing System

Follow steps below to choose the best filing system for you or your organization.

Step 1: Identify your setting.
Step 2: Choose your style.
Step 3: Shop your platform.

Step 1: Identify your setting.

Home

Organize documents for any individual, family, or estate. Rental property files included.

Self-Employed

Self-Employed systems include all features of Home systems plus support for freelance workers.

Tip: use the Self-Employed filing system if you hire yourself out, and you do not plan to sell your business.

Business

Business systems include additional files not included in Self-Employed systems, plus additional business subcategories. Use for non-profit or for-profit organizations.

Save 40% on a Home Filing System with your Business Filing System purchase by entering discount code “HB” at checkout.

Documents

	Home	Self- Em­ploy­ed	Busi­­ness
Career, certi­ficates, edu­cation, gene­alogy, health, home, mem­ories, pet, war­ranties*	✓	✓
Activ­ities, bene­fits, deduc­tions, estate and direct­ives, school*	✓	✓
Action files, pro­jects, liter­ature, lists, supplies*	✓	✓	✓
Re­ceipts and state­ments by month or by account, income, tax and legal archive*	✓	✓	✓
Associ­ations, insur­ance, invest­ments, loans, rental prop­erty, services, utility info., ve­hicle*	✓	✓	✓
Busi­ness exp­enses, con­tracts, licenses, intel­lect­ual prop­erty, do­mains, form­ation, minutes*		✓	✓
Com­p­any bio, build­­ing, equip­ment, furnish­ings, press, prod­uc­tion, re­leases, reports, testi­monials*			✓
Company shares, creden­tials, cont­inuing edu­cation, expos, grants, pro­ce­dures, sub­sidies			✓
Busi­ness exp­enses by month, income by quarter or by month			✓
*Addi­tional sub­cate­gories	Home sub­cate­gories	Home & Self-Em­ploy­ed sub­­cate­gories	Busi­ness sub­cate­gories

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Step 2: Choose your style.

Compare filing insurance policies:

1/5 Tab

I. Set up each insurance with its own tab, without subfolders.

II. Add optional interior file sleeves.

Benefits

• Fast set up
• Only hanging files required
• One-level search
• Optional interior file sleeves create a tidy look
• Fan tabs for quick location
• Straight-line tabs with same subject for clarity

1/3 Tab

I. Set up a file with subfolders for each insurance. (If a file is full, add another file behind to hold more folders.)

II. Use optional JUMBO file labels with 1/3-cut tabs.

Benefits

• Lift out folders easily
• Use folders on the go
• Return a folder to its main hanging file, using subject cues
• Locate main topics quickly
• Subtopics on folders are shown clearly
• Use either 1/5-cut or 1/3-cut hanging file tabs
• Read high-contrast subfolder labels in low light

Binders

I. Set up a binder for insurance.

II. Use binder pockets for each type of insurance.

Benefits

• Clear floor space
• Outward facing titles provide quick location
• High-capacity binder pockets hold documents
• Label binder pocket tabs with 1/3 Tab inserts
• Flip through binders for easy retrieval
• Take binders on the go

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Step 3: Shop your platform.

Follow the product map below.

Note: shop your filing system and extensions based on your setting and style.

Filing Systems

	1/5 Tab	1/3 Tab	Binders
Home	Home 1/5 Tab	Home 1/3 Tab	Home Binders
Self-Employed	Self-Employed 1/5 Tab	Self-Employed 1/3 Tab	Self-Employed Binders
Business	Business 1/5 Tab	Business 1/3 Tab	Business Binders

Add-ons for Self-Employed and Business

• Customer & Job File systems organize client and job records.
• Employee File systems organize confidential employee and human resources records.
• Vendor File systems organize records for suppliers and independent contractors specific to your industry.

	1/5 Tab	1/3 Tab	Binders
Customer & Job File	Customer & Job File		Customer & Job Binders
Employee File	Employee File		Employee Binders
Vendor File	Vendor File		Vendor Binders

Extensions

• The Projects extension gathers project work together with project sleeves.
• The Workspace extension organizes project sleeves, notes, correspondence, literature, and miscellaneous items in your dedicated work area.
• Each Rental Properties extension supports two additional rental properties.

	1/5 Tab	1/3 Tab	Binders
Projects	Projects		See guide included with any Binders filing system.
Work­space	Work­space 1/5 Tab	Work­space 1/3 Tab	Use any Binders filing system with Work­space 1/3 Tab extension.
Rental Properties	Rental Properties 1/5 Tab	Rental Properties 1/3 Tab	Rental Properties Binders

Extensions for Self-Employed

Each Self-Employed Businesses extension supports two additional freelance workers or income streams.

	1/5 Tab	1/3 Tab	Binders
Self-Employed Busi­nesses	Self-Employed Busi­nesses 1/5 Tab	Self-Employed Busi­nesses 1/3 Tab	Self-Employed Busi­nesses Binders

Blank File Labels & Binder Spine Inserts

Need more customizable labels?

	1/5 Tab	1/3 Tab	Binders
Assorted	Assorted 1/5 Tab	Assorted 1/3 Tab	Assorted Binders
Specific Colors	Specific Colors 1/5 Tab	Specific Colors 1/3 Tab	Specific Colors Binders
Letter and Number Tags	Letter and Number Tags

Accessories

Our accessories page directs you to the best accessories for your filing style.

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