Looking to save some space? Digitizing files is a process that can take time, computer knowledge and the utmost patience, but can pay big dividends in terms of saving space for you. It is important in today’s ever–changing digital age that we take time to make sure we transition from the traditional “hard copy” to a digital version. In these simple steps, we can help put you and your organization on the right track to digitizing your files!

 

STEP 1 – THE INITIAL PURGE

Assess the paperwork you currently have. Is it necessary? Will I need it this year? Next year? 5 years from now? Can any of it be discarded? You’ll be surprised to find how much of your paperwork can actually be discarded. Make a pile of any paper that can be thrown away and put it to the side.

 

STEP 2 – ORGANIZING

Organize every document you have by category. Scanning each document one by one is time consuming and painstaking! When it is time to transfer paper to digital files on a computer you do not want a clutter of documents organized haphazardly, so having them separated by folder (by date, by topic, etc.) is helpful.

 

STEP 3 – STORE THE PAPER YOU NEED

In some cases, you cannot get rid of every hard copy. Seems a bit counterintuitive to the goal we are looking to accomplish, but sometimes keeping a hard copy can be a lifesaver.

When looking to store your documents, do not shove them in a closet or a basement. The risk of loss or damage is very high, and the clutter still remains in the office, taking up valuable real estate! Instead, think of choosing a secure storage unit that specializes in Document Management and document storage. Somewhere secure, but that also allows you to easily get your hands on the documents without a hassle.

Arrow Transfer & Storage is one of NY’s best & most secure storage and document management companies. Click here to learn more about those options.

 

STEP 4 – SHREDDING (THE FINAL PURGE)

Remember the pile we told you to put to one side? It’s time for the final purge! All the paper that you’re ready to get rid of is finally hitting the trash. The safest way to get rid of all of your documents is to use a NAID certified shredding service that can help get rid of your documents securely. Data and document breach is very common (It seems like we see another organization that has been breached every day or two) so keep your files and data safe by shredding it with a NAID certified, top–quality organization.

At Arrow Transfer & Storage, we shred documents daily and have experience in safely and securely getting rid of unwanted office clutter. Click here to learn more.

          

STEP 5 – TIME FOR DIGITIZING

Finally, let’s digitize! There are many services to use to help you digitize. You can hire an organization (similar to Arrow’s Digitizing) to digitize your files directly onto CD/DVD files or you can do it yourself and purchase hard drives or cloud storage in order to save your files (Be warned: This is VERY time consuming).

When digitizing, make sure to stay organized and take your time. The last thing you want is a missing document. In order to make certain your digitizing goes smoothly, consider hiring a company that specializes in digitizing. Once you have all of your files organized, you will be able to hand over the documents that are ready to be digitized and not have to go through all of the hassle. You will be one step ahead of the game,your office will be less cluttered, you’ll be more organized and you’ll be able to work more efficiently and faster!