--- title: "STYLE Savvy: If I Ditched the File Cabinet, Why am I Holding on to the Files?" description: Lisa Hess ditches yet one more Type A organizing relic that doesn't work for her. What can you change about the way you organize? image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20260626%20Lisa%20Hess%201.png --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/style-savvy-if-i-ditched-the-file-cabinet-why-am-i-holding-on-to-the-files#) [HOME](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/home) # STYLE Savvy: If I Ditched the File Cabinet, Why am I Holding on to the Files? Jun 26, 2026 11:30:00 AM  |  by [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20260626%20Lisa%20Hess%201.png) *Lisa Hess ditches yet one more Type A organizing relic that doesn't work for her. What can you change about the way you organize?* --- For years, I've filed my paperwork traditionally. Each company with whom I do business gets its own file folder and any paperwork associated with that company goes into that folder. Easy peasy. Except it's not. I hate to file so, for years, I've accumulated stacks of paper to be distributed among these disparate, albeit appropriate, folders. Normally, my I need to see it personal style runs the show but, when it comes to filing, my drop and run organizational style is the one that takes over. I finish paying bills, for example, drop all the statements into a pile, and run to the next (more interesting) task. Months later, I get disgusted enough with the burgeoning pile to do a filing session that takes five times as long as it would have taken if I'd just done all the filing in the first place. And, to make matters worse, I end up with a fat file folder full of old paperwork that needs to be culled so there's enough room for the new additions. Just me? You'd think the advent of paperlessness would save me but, alas, this is where my I need to see it personal style pushes herself right back to the front of the line. She thrives on hard copies.  And so the cycle continues.   ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20260626%20Lisa%20Hess%203.png?width=1080&height=1350&name=20260626%20Lisa%20Hess%203.png)   ## Two Styles, One Solution Years ago, I bought a set of file folders decorated with the months of the year. I no longer remember what I intended to do with them — maybe it was to try the tickler file system a colleague raved about (alas, also not fit for me) — but that no longer matters. These lovely file folders are now the foundation of a system that satisfies both my I need to see it personal style and my drop and run organizational style. Each month, I put all my paperwork for the month into the appropriate folder. One month, one pile, one folder. Filing is simple because everything gets dropped into one place, which makes organizing my papers a one-step process, pleasing even to my drop and run organizational style. Each file is clearly decorated with the name of the month, which satisfies my I need to see it personal style, who thrives on labels.   ## Keeping It Up and Running Retrieval might be a bit more complicated — this remains to be seen — but since the folders are all in one place and the number of files I have to sort through is limited, I'm not too worried. As for annual maintenance (which — let's be real — wasn't taking place annually anyway), it's simple. Each year, I pull out the previous year's stash, keep what's important, and ditch the rest, one month at a time. I haven't yet decided if I'm going to create an annual folder for all the old (previous year's) stuff or keep it in the monthly file. I'll know this better when I see how much I actually want to hang onto. Are there exceptions? A few. The paperwork for my car, for example, goes into a dedicated file. Why? Not because there's any hard-and-fast rule — simply because it makes more sense to me.   ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20260626%20Lisa%20Hess%202.png?width=1080&height=1350&name=20260626%20Lisa%20Hess%202.png)   I'm inordinately excited about this change and, since paper clutter is my biggest nemesis, I'm left with only one question. Why did it take me so long to figure this out? Sigh. It's a process.    Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles. --- Copyright 2026 Lisa Hess Images: Canva ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-if-i-ditched-the-file-cabinet-why-am-i-holding-on-to-the-files%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-if-i-ditched-the-file-cabinet-why-am-i-holding-on-to-the-files%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-if-i-ditched-the-file-cabinet-why-am-i-holding-on-to-the-files%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=STYLE%20Savvy%3A%20If%20I%20Ditched%20the%20File%20Cabinet%2C%20Why%20am%20I%20Holding%20on%20to%20the%20Files%3F) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-if-i-ditched-the-file-cabinet-why-am-i-holding-on-to-the-files%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-if-i-ditched-the-file-cabinet-why-am-i-holding-on-to-the-files%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Lisa%20Lawmaster%20Hess.jpg) ### [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) Transplanted Jersey girl Lisa Lawmaster Hess is the author of a blog compilation, three novels, and three non-fiction books, including the award-winning Know Thyself: The Imperfectionist’s Guide to Sorting Your Stuff. A retired elementary school counselor, Lisa is an adjunct professor of psychology at York College of Pennsylvania. She blogs at [The Porch Swing Chronicles](http://l2hess.blogspot.com/), [Organizing by STYLE](http://www.orgbystyle.blogspot.com/), and here at Catholicmom.com. [Read all articles by Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess). [**](https://www.facebook.com/L2Hess/) [**](https://twitter.com/orgbystyle) ## Related Blog Articles [ STYLE Savvy: Back-to-School Shopping Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/style-savvy-back-to-school-shopping) [ STYLE Savvy: Time for a Tune-Up Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2017/04/12/style-savvy-time-tune) [ STYLE Savvy: Ushering out Self-Doubt Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/style-savvy-ushering-out-self-doubt) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! Sign up to receive our free daily digest email. Copyright © 2026 CatholicMom.com. All Rights Reserved.