Very often you will arrive at a new client to find that there is paperwork all over the place. It is a shambles! For most live-in carers this is not an acceptable situation as we all know that this is the way appointments are forgotten and bills left unpaid.

Many clients may even have their own filing system, which may have worked when they were younger and more in charge of their affairs. When you arrive, it may simply be a stack of paperwork that needs to be sorted.

Where do you start?

1. Get all the papers together

Gather every bill you see lying around. IN fact, gather up all the odd bits of paper that look like they could and should be filed. Make sure to check places such as the drawer in the kitchen where things end up, and in knitting bags where things can easily be placed.

Give yourself a quiet time to go through all the paperwork and sort it. Also, if possible, use a large table rather than your bed to see what you have in the pile of papers.

Separate the papers

Make five separate piles for all the paperwork.

1. Action
2. Archive
3. Household
4. Recycle
5. Shred

• Action – these are papers that require something to be done. These include things such as bills, appointment reminders, invitations.
   
• Archive – these papers need to be kept maybe for that appointment which is due later in the year, for tax returns, car tax and household insurances which may be due later. You can also file bills that have been paid here.
   
• Household – this should include user manuals for the fridge, washing machine etc. It can also include recipes your client wants to keep, upcoming dates for visits by family and coupons which you can use when you shop.
   
• Recycle – this is all the stuff that does not fall into the other categories, namely junk mail, old magazines, newspapers, used envelopes etc.
   
• Shred – here you should have personal papers that contain personal information such as old bank statements, credit card offers and old bills.

2. Dispose of those you don’t need

Do the recycling pile first. This will probably get rid of a huge pile as many older people tend to hoard old post.

3. Tackle the Archive file

Get a good-sized box and place all these items in the box. Ideally, they should be in alphabetical order, although having a list on top will tell you at a glance what is in the box.

4. Household next

You can use a binder for this pile and keep things in individual pockets so you can find them quickly.

5. Finally – and most importantly – set up the action file

You can divide this category into sections to make it easier to find, but this is where you should have every piece of paper which needs an action, either a reply, telephone call, or a payment made. This is also where you can keep a birthday list to send cards.

Final thoughts

Make a habit of checking the action file every week so no appointments are missed, or bills left unpaid.

As soon as anything comes through the post box, and after your client has seen it, make sure it is filed in the appropriate place – or shredded! 

Before long you will be living in a place where there is significantly less clutter and a lot more order.

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