How to Organize a File Cabinet: 70 Categories for Every Piece of Paper

Isn’t it funny how files have a way of multiplying? If your home office filing cabinet is overflowing with files and folders – then you might be looking for ways to create a system to keep things under control.

I have found that using categories to label my file folders is the best way to stay organized. So, in this post I’ve listed 70 common categories to help you get started.

However, before you begin labeling your file folders randomly, it is a good idea to devise a high level organization chart of how you plan to name and organize your file folders, sort of like a naming convention for digital files, I have outlined the system that I use, and hopefully it will help you too.

Create An Organization System for Your Paperwork

Even with the best intentions, paperwork can quickly get out of hand. So, it might help to start by looking at your end goal. For this project to be a success, you have to be clear on your expectations.

Are your looking for a way to keep track of important papers? Do you have a place to store your papers? Do you want to get your bills under control?

In my Beginner’s Guide to Organization, I always advise starting with your biggest pain point – and organizing paperwork is no different. If you aren’t paying bills on time because of disorganization, then maybe that is your main goal. Or, if you can’t focus on your work because there so many papers cluttering up your home office, then maybe your main goal is to clean off your desk.

For each person, the main goal will be different. But it will be the driving factor in how you tailor your file categories and labels.

The following steps will be similar for each individual, but you can start with what applies best to you. You will also find more ideas in my Paperwork Organization Guide here.

Step 1: Assess Your Available Space

The first thing you need to do before you start labeling your folders is figure out how much space you have available for your files.

If you use a file cabinet, determine whether it is adequate for your needs. How many file drawers do you have available? Is that enough?

If you have just one drawer – then basically everything will need to fit inside. But, ideally, you will have a few drawers available. This way you have the option use each drawer for a different category. You may decide that you don’t have much space at all. At this point it is a good idea to evaluate whether you have the best file cabinet for your home office.

You also might want to take a look at some of these fun file cabinets for your home office and do a little upgrade.

Step 2: Gather Your Supplies

I don’t like to put the cart before the horse, but it is a good idea to pull together a few supplies before you get started. You probably won’t know exactly what you need until you’ve mapped out your categories, but at the same time you don’t want to create a big mess and have nowhere to put it.

So here are a few things you might want to have on hand.

• manilla file folders in either letter or legal size – depending on the size of your file cabinet – I really like using cute file folders because they make filing a little bit more fun.
• hanging file folders (I just found these in Aqua and now I want to replace all of my boring green ones!)
• and a label maker to keep things looking neat

Step 3: Figure Out How You Want to Categorize

The next step is to survey the paperwork that you actually need to organize.

What type of documents do you need to file away? Some common types include:

• Bank statements
• User manuals
• Kids papers
• Medical records
• Real estate information

Look at what you have and divide things into piles based on commonalities. Basically each pile can become a category. Depending on how many files you have, you can either designate a whole drawer to one category – financial information, for example. Or you can decide to use just a few files for that category. One folder for bank statements, one for credit cards, etc.

Step 4: Decide on a Naming Convention for Your File Folders

Personally, I have found that using a system of Categories and Subcategories to be the best way for me to stay organized.

Let me show you with an example.

It is common to have a category called “Bank Statements”. But you might have several accounts at a few different banks. if you only had one file folder called “Bank Statements” then all of your statements would become a jumbled mess inside that one folder.

But if you labeled the folders using the name of the bank and you filed them in your file cabinet alphabetically, then your banking folders would become separated. For example, let’s say you have accounts at the following 3 banks:

• Bank of America
• Freedom Bank
• XYZ Credit Union

Now, let’s say that you also have folders for your Utilities filed by the name of the utility as follows:

• Electric Company
• Trash Company
• Water Company

When you put it all together in your file drawer you would get a set of folders that look like this when filed alphabetically:

• Bank of America
• Electric Company
• Freedom Bank
• Trash Company
• Water Company
• XYZ Credit Union

The above list seems very random, and if you have a large number of files, it can become difficult to locate the one that you need.

Instead, I like to use a labeling system that makes use of subcategories. I separate the category from the subcategory with a colon “:” but you could use any type of dividing symbol, like a dash or vertical line.

In the above example, my main categories would be “Bank Statements” and “Utilities”, so my folders would now look like this:

• Bank Statements: Bank of America
• Bank Statements: Freedom Bank
• Bank Statements: XYZ Credit Union
• Utilities: Electric Company
• Utilities:Trash Company
• Utilities:Water Company

Now all the bank statements will be located together and the utilities will all be together which makes the files easier to find.

70 Sample File Cabinet Categories and Subcategories

Now that I have got your organizational motivation flowing, here is a list of 70 common file cabinet categories that you can use to put your files in order.

You can use each item in this list as it’s own category or you can group related files together as subcategories in one bigger hanging file or file drawer as I described above.

1. Financial information
2. Bank statements
3. Credit card statements
4. 401K statements
5. Paystubs
6. Pension info
7. Social security info
8. Tax documents – current year
9. Tax documents – prior years
10. Loans
11. Mortgage
12. 2nd mortgage
13. Monthly bills
14. Bills to pay
15. Documents to scan
16. Papers to file
17. Budgeting
18. Financial planning and research
19. Utilities
20. Real estate transactions
21. Home improvement
22. Insurance
23. Life insurance
24. Car insurance
25. Home insurance
26. Renter insurance
27. Umbrella insurance
28. Insurance for products
29. Passwords
30. Family
31. Self
32. Kids
33. School information
34. Spouse
35. Parents
36. Pets
37. Legal papers
38. Wills
39. Automobile titles
40. Boat information
41. Marriage license
42. Birth certificates
43. Divorce papers
44. Diplomas
45. Licensing and professional papers
46. Medical info – per family member
47. Medical bills
48. Medical doctor contact info
49. Product manuals
50. Home inventory
51. Valuable item documentation – jewelry, electronics, etc
52. Recipes – you want to try
53. Recipes – tried and true
54. Ideas – for craft projects, writing, other hobbies
55. Travel
56. Airline cards
57. AAA
58. Hotel cards
59. Passports
60. Destination research
61. Maps
62. Memberships
63. Alumni associations
64. Professional organizations
65. Subscriptions
66. Business Information
67. Photographs
68. Letters
69. Memorabilia
70. Coupons

Examples of How I Use Categories in My File Cabinet

I know that a big list of categories can be overwhelming, so I will give you some examples of how I arrange my own file cabinet.

Current To Do Items

The drawer within closest reach to my home office desk is the one the I use the most. This contains file folders for the things I need to get done now:

• bills to pay
• documents to scan
• paperwork to file

Family Information

I also have folders in this drawer for each member of the family. My kids are young adults and largely responsible for their own schoolwork etc. But sometimes I get mail or important documents that pertain to them. So I put these items in their folders and periodically, I will sit down with them and go through the collection.

Financial Information

I use another file drawer for filing away financial information including some monthly bills or statements that I still get in paper form, important documents like wills, and insurance information.

Over the years I have gone back and forth between two methods for filing my monthly bills. Some years I have used one folder per each type of bill – so phone bills in one folder, electric in another etc. Other years, I just create a folder for the month and file all the different bills in the monthly folder.

Things are a little more complex now that many bills arrive via email – but I tackle digital organizing is a separate post here.

Your Organization System Is Your Own

Even though everyone’s situation is different, I hope that you can use the common file categories above to create an organization system that is unique to you.

Take the time to write your plan down, especially if you don’t finish organizing in one session.This way you can easily pick up where you left off.

Happy Organizing!