2. Pick broad categories for your desktop file. Keeping a small file on your desktop is a great way to stay ahead of paper-sorting chaos. The idea is to label your desktop file with a few (no more than 12) very broad categories that you can easily and quickly pop papers into. For instance, you might have files for home, work, finances, personal and to-do tasks.
Think of this as a temporary holding area and get into the habit of using it daily. Once a week or when it's convenient for you, you can transfer the contents of these general files to your filing cabinet. Love this idea!