 | It is a common question I hear... "How can I organize my manuals? My response every time is to file them. I highly believe in being as detailed as possible when storing any kind of documentation. Knowing where the warranty information is for a product that stops working is important and having a file for it individually will save you a lot of time digging! So, it should come as a surprise to you that I did not have this amazing system that I speak of and recommend all the time in my own home! We all have projects that we'd like to complete, but can't place at the top of our priority list. This was one of those for me. Sometime late last year, my Shark vacuum roller stopped working. Luckily, I was still able to find the manual in a decent amount of time. I did not have the receipt, nor did I store the purchase date on the manual, and the rep on the line required date of purchase to look up the warranty on my Shark. With a couple of security questions answered, he allowed the transaction to move forward and determined my warranty was valid just for another few months! I received a new base within three days, at no cost. Phew! |
| This is how I used to "file" my manuals. Each manual that was for a kitchen item went in the "Kitchen Manuals" bag inside of the file cabinet. I followed the same rule for every room. I never had a real problem finding something this way, however, I never went through and purged appliance manuals that I didn't have the appliance for. That "PUR" water filter left our home years ago! Why did I still have that?! Because I did not have a system that worked for organizing my manuals! Want to be able to find a manual with purchase receipts easily? Follow along... Step 1: Gather one manual and it's supporting documentation with proof of purchase. |  |
Step 2: Staple receipt and write down the date, amount, and location of purchase on the inside cover.
Step 3: Place in it's own dedicated hanging file folder in the filing cabinet. If you can't make room in a filing cabinet, use a banker's box or plastic file box instead. Repeat this process for every manual that you still have the equipment for. This took me about an hour to complete.
As new products come into your home, create a file for them immediately, and don't forget to attach proof of purchase. Make it a habit to also discard manuals to products leaving your home, and your manuals will forever be organized!
Do you have another system that works well for you? Feel free to share!
Happy Organizing!
Nicole Ramer
Professional Organizer and Senior Move Manager
Decluttering and Downsizing Expert Serving Polk County and all of Central Florida
Do you have another system that works well for you? Feel free to share!
Happy Organizing!
Nicole Ramer
Professional Organizer and Senior Move Manager
Decluttering and Downsizing Expert Serving Polk County and all of Central Florida
RSS Feed
