A recent study revealed that educational institutions used an average of 5,200 reams of paper a year. That translates into 312 trees, not to mention the electricity and water used to produce the paper.
That figure doesn’t include professionals working from home or at the office.
Then there’s the time spent organizing and searching for documents. They end up reprinting items, which causes more waste.
How can you organize your documents so you can find them without wasting time or energy? Start with tab dividers.
This is a simple way to categorize and organize your papers. Read on to learn the different types of tab dividers and how you can easily organize your important documents.
Index Tabs
Index tabs are used to help people manage and organize documents. These can be sheets of plastic that separate categories or tabs at the top of folders.
You can use index tabs in binders, filing cabinets, and archived boxes.
Tab Extensions
Standard folder sizes are 8.5” x 11” and 8.5” x 14” (legal). These folders have two types of tab extensions at the top of the folder.
The standard tab measures about .5” above and is 1-2” long. A half-moon tab is much shorter and rounded at the corners.
The half-moon is useful if you have a small amount of information on the tab, such as a number.
Exhibit Tabs
Attorneys depend on a clear organization method to be able to work efficiently. A day in court could mean that you have stacks of binders to carry into the courtroom.
You’ll need to pull out and present documents quickly. Divider tabs like bottom exhibit tabs help you do that and more.
Custom Tabs
Industries that deal with a lot of paperwork such as real estate, insurance, legal, and financial all have different needs.
Within the legal industry, there are different types of law that require different organizational methods. An intellectual property lawyer needs to have trademark research, application documents, and infringement evidence easily accessible.
A real estate attorney needs to have contracts and other documents at their disposal.
Custom tabs can be created according to your own needs. You can create a system that works for you and then get the items you need to build the system.
Tips to Organize With Tab Dividers
You need to create a system for document storage and organization. Start with your needs and goals.
For example, you may need to have documents accessible for court cases. From there, you can organize documents by the client.
You can also categorize documents by type. A small business can put invoices in one folder and receipts in another.
Map out your plan first on a piece of paper. Get the supplies and then create your filing system.
Use Tab Dividers to Organize Your Business
Did you know that there were so many tab dividers? It’s now easier than ever to organize your papers. You’ll be more efficient and save resources.
For more helpful tips to organize and grow your business, check out the Business section of the blog today!
