Document Management for Students (and Non-Students): a crash course

Messy desks, overflowing drawers, loaded cabinets…
These are prerequisites to a disaster.
…a disaster that might take up most of your time and in fact a risk to your job.
Lost files, untraceable documents, unorganized references…
You need to create a system of organizing this messy environment and lead a life of efficiency and being effective at home, school or work.
Noticeable results will surely come your way if you follow these three easy steps:

SORT

Run through all your documents one by one and put the related ones in a pile. Example: you can put together lecture notes, handouts, clippings from a course you took up the previous semester in a pile while another pile is for financial records (receipts, bills, bank slips, etc.). It doesn’t matter how many piles you put up as long as the documents in there are somewhat related. You can then run through each pile and create piles or subcategories for each.

 SEND

If there are documents or files you think you don’t need any more, there are two ways you can do about it. First, if you think other people might need it (friends, officemates, classmates) then you can send it to them. Second, if you think others won’t have a use for it as much as you do then send it to the garbage bin.

STORE

Prepare supplies for storing your files and documents. Folders can be good for documents with few pages. Boxes can be used to store thick documents or a group of folders. Folders or boxes, it doesn’t matter, what’s important is proper labeling of the documents, alphabetization, or numbering for easy retrieval.
There you go, an easy way to organize your cluttered documents in three easy steps.
If there’s something I have left out it’s because I want you to provide it here. You can use the comment link below.