PA and Secretary Community - Deskdemon.com

With all the cool colors out there, do you color code your files?  If you do, do you choose your files by emotion (red - hot items, yellow - cautious) or do you set up your system by... favorite files = your favorite color, least favorite files = ugliest color to you?  What is your favorite color of folders?

I set mine up with a mix of both, I do have red for urgent, but picked purple folders for the files I use the most.   (by the way I like dark purple folders!)

Susan,

I would usually choose whatever is available from the stationery store or stationery catalogue.  I prefer not to colour code files as that does not always work.  I prefer to use clear pocket folders for current tasks/projects and lever arch files for historic or other filing.

Susan, I think we might have been separated at birth!  I too use purple folders for the stuff I like (ie my own projects), red for the super urgent things, and any old thing I have to hand for regular files and archiving.

I'm a bit of a stationery geek and tend to get excited by coloured stuff, particularly purple!

QB

I love to color code folders.  I used to have a different color for each section that I do work for.  

However, when I moved into this job and had to incorporate my folders with my bosses' files, I had to go back to plain ordinary green hanging files.  She is (in her words) "anal" about the files and despises color

I do like colored folders.  However, I use manilla folders mainly around the office since they are cheaper.  I found folders that are plastic with a pocket in the front.  I use these for travel folders for the boss since they are durable and reusable.

Hi Susan

...purple ... and I thought it was just me!

My boss dislikes purple so any coloured files for him are always blue (corporate colour) - but if they are mine and they are important they will be either deep purple or emerald green.

For the bring forward file I use traffic lights - red for items that are on hold eg - boss might have given me a document which needs including in a specific grant application, but we don't yet have the exact call date and are not actively working on the application; yellow for items where I am progressing the details - eg travel itinerary in progress; and green for the items which are all done and ready to hand over come the day.

When I had the option of color coding files, I did so by project type, state located, etc. It made it that much easier to keep up with where the files went and if a PM or someone else took something out of my files, the colored folder was a reminder to them that it didn't belong on their desk for weeks on end.

Michelle

I guess I'm different.  I like everything to look the same and be uniform--right down to the size and type of font on the lables (NO handwritten labels!).  I have one colored file, red for pending items.  Other than that, manilla and pendaflex green.

It is a relief to know that I 'm not the only person with a thing for stationery!  I don't really colour code at work, as there are standard folders etc, which are just labelled up, but after reading this post, I feel I must obtain some purple files!!

Job files are still the plain manilla folders.  DOT files are red, asbestos worker files are blue, folder I put on Bossies desk for items needing his signature are either red or yellow (whatever I have empty, just a bright color he'll notice).   I love the colored folders, not that it makes filing any more fun.

Marie

I use colored folders and choose the colors depending on the task for the folder for example: financial would be green. If the task continue to increase then add new colors or modify what color will be assign to the task.