How to Organize Important Documents at Home – A Guide to Paperwork Sorting

When moving internationally, it is really important to know how to organize important documents at home. Otherwise, forgetting or losing a certain paper can cost you dearly. From being rejected at the border to having to immediately come back to the USA because you forgot to bring a crucial document for your employer, there are many situations that can make you literally regret moving overseas. And, it shouldn’t be like that.

How to keep important documents organized before relocation? The task is not at all difficult, but it requires patience and attention to detail. There will be many different sheets of paper spread across your desk, and you have to be careful when separating the important from the unnecessary ones. Accidentally shredding a document you need will probably cost you a lot of time (and money possibly) in order to get a new copy. More importantly, it might delay your relocation plans.

Start by Gathering All the Records and Documents in One Place

Before organizing important documents, you need to search all your drawers for any folders and records. People are often negligent with paperwork and don’t keep everything in one place. Moreover, by doing this, you will overall increase the efficiency of the relocation process since you’ll be downsizing for the move at the same time.

What is the best way to organize paperwork at home? Once you have piled everything up on your desk, it is time to sit down and look at each paper carefully in order to determine whether it is of any importance. All needed records should then be separated into categories. Of course, the number of categories will depend on whether you are relocating alone, with loved ones, or with pets. But the usual categorization goes like this:

• Personal records for each family member,
• Household records,
• Business records,
• Financial records,
• Health care records,
• School records.

When relocating across the world, you will have to pay special attention to passports and all other traveling documentation. You certainly don’t want to hire an international moving company and its packing services and realize on the relocation day that your traveling visa is missing.

Separate and Throw Away All Papers That Are Not Valid or Necessary Anymore

One of the best relocation tips that you will get from any international movers is to get rid of everything unnecessary before preparing your items for storage services. However, you have to be careful with personal records and mail. Although they might be worthless, they could still contain sensitive personal information. Therefore, it is advisable to shred all documentation of this kind and not throw it in the bin immediately. Of course, if you don’t work in an office, the chances that you don’t own a shredding machine are high, and buying such a machine just to shred a few papers is highly illogical. Luckily, there are bound to be printing offices in your neighborhood, and they have a shredding machine.

What Is the Best Way to Organize Important Documents? Filing Is the Most Reliable Method

How to store important documents at home? Once everything has been placed in its own category, you should file all records in separate folders. They will provide necessary protection for your documentation, but when relocating abroad, it will also be much easier to stack folders in boxes. They can be found in any office or household supplies store, and they won’t affect your relocation budget a lot.

What Are the Basic Filing Systems? You Can Organize and File Your Paperwork at Home in a Couple of Ways

Where should I store important documents at home? You should file every important document in a folder, and here are some of the most popular methods.

• File everything by categorization – This is certainly the most popular method. Once you have separated everything, designate for each category a single folder, and sort accordingly. The key is to label every container and adhere to the established order.
• Use different colors for filing – For each category, you can choose a different color. Furthermore, this isn’t a bad idea if you have a family. You can assign each family member a color.
• File according to the frequency of use – For example, you can have separate files for all documentation that is important but is not frequently required by authorities (deeds, academic diplomas, medical documentation, and such). On the other hand, all other documentation that has to be used in the near future (basically anything that comes in your mail, such as bills or invitations) should be placed in another folder. The latter documentation often can immediately be discarded after it has fulfilled its purpose. Hence, this type of organization is great for controlling the accumulation of paper.
• Store according to dates – This organization certainly requires an extra level of meticulousness and probably a bit more boxes and other material. However, if you wish to have your documentation organized as in professional accounting companies, then this is the method for you.
• Store separately for each family member – If you are relocating with your loved ones (pets included,) the best thing to do is to have separate files for each household member. You can choose any method mentioned above. You will have to obtain your children’s school records and medical reports when relocating to a foreign country, and there is no doubt that you will have a big pile of documentation on your desk.

On No Account Should You Forget About Sentimental Papers

Legal documentation is, of course, the most important when going to live overseas, but we can safely say that you will feel even greater relocation stress if you can’t find a sentimental letter or a picture after hiring international moving services. Such things are usually kept in a single box since they don’t accumulate quickly. However, you can be certain that this box will be at the top of your relocation inventory list.

Where to Store Important Documents While Traveling? They Have to Be Placed in a Bag of Essentials

When relocating to another country, it is necessary to have a bag of relocation essentials beside you. If you are relocating for the first time, this bag (a traveling backpack, duffel bag, small suitcase, and such) will contain all the necessary items to get you through the first few days after relocating, but it should also contain valuable items like money or jewelry and all necessary paperwork. In this way, you will, of course, be able to easily provide all required information at the borders, but also, you will be able to keep a watchful eye on your valuables at all times during the journey.

All Other Documentation Should Be Placed in Secure Containers

For example, if you are transferring your business to a foreign country, there will be a lot of documentation, and there will probably be more than one box to relocate. The issue is that the boxes have to cross a long journey and probably change a few different storage units, so there is always a danger of being exposed to moisture. Therefore, it is best to get waterproof containers and be safe.

How Do I Keep Important Documents at Home? Household Supplies Stores Have a Lot of Options to Offer

How to organize important papers once you have settled in your new apartment? There are many interesting pieces of household furniture that have been modeled on office furniture. Some of the most popular are:

• Folder boxes – You probably have a picture in your mind of a common office cardboard box. However, nowadays, there are many fancy boxes made of various materials with handles on the sides. These boxes have great aesthetic appeal. However, they can also be suitable for relocating as they are sturdy and can prevent items from getting damaged.
• Office storage cabinets – This is another item that is an inseparable part of every office, but furniture manufacturers have made household cabinets of all sizes, and if you are struggling to come up with a good small apartment idea for organizing documentation, these pieces of furniture might be the answer.
• Various wall organizers – There are many beautiful wall organizers that people usually attach above their working desks. They also come in all sizes, and they are great for saving space.
• House safes – For absolute security, there are different types of household safes where you can store your documentation. They are waterproof, fireproof, and impenetrable, so you will be able to sleep soundly.

Generally, the best thing to do when you start unpacking after the move and furnishing your new house is to choose one place where your documentation will sit. Using two or more chests of drawers or cabinets to store documentation often creates confusion. Here is a video where you can see some different types of storage cabinets.

How to Organize Important Documents at Home? You Can Digitalize Most of the Documentation Nowadays

Truth be told, despite ever-growing digitalization, most public institutions will still demand a hard copy of an original document. However, most of the documentation can be digitalized, and files are then stored on your computer and smartphone. This is convenient for all services that only require QR codes (for example, digitalized covid certificates are accepted everywhere,) and you can make a hard copy from your smartphone at any time.

Don’t Forget About Organizing Your Email Box

When relocating overseas, you will have to get in touch with many people, such as the expat community, future landlords, and employers, and you will have to notify quite a few public institutions and authorities. Therefore, your email box is bound to be filled quickly, so be sure to sort everything up once the relocation starts.

Change Your Habits of Organizing Once You Have Relocated

After you have furnished your new house and begun a new life, you should also try to adopt better and more efficient habits of keeping your documentation. Records will pile up no matter where you live, but immediately after the relocation, you’ll probably only have the essentials. Hence, it will be easier to determine what is unnecessary once the new records begin arriving.

No Matter Where You Relocate, It Is Important to Know How to Organize Documents in a Right Way

It is usually recommended that you begin preparing for relocation at least two months before. And the issue of preparing documentation should probably be at the top of the relocation checklist. Therefore, it is best to adopt a method of the organization before the relocation and continue using it after. People choose to live in foreign countries for many beautiful reasons, and overall, there are many benefits of relocation. It would be a pity to ruin the experience because of being negligent with documentation.