When people say they fear they’ll forget their files if they put them away, I tell them that it’s not filing they fear; it’s their filing system. Let me prove this point to you by asking you some questions. Do you have all your pots and pans out all over your floor in your kitchen? Do you have all your underwear and socks and T-shirts out all over your bedroom? Do you have all your bath towels out all over your hallway?

I am sure that your answers to all these questions are no, of course not. Well, why not? How can you possibly find your pans, underwear, socks or T-shirts if you don’t have them out where you can see them? Do you see how ridiculous it would be if you had everything lying out so you wouldn’t forget where you put them? So why do you need your files out in front of you? You don’t. It’s just that you fear your filing system. You can find your pans, underwear, socks and towels because you have taken a minute to assign them a place, and you have put them in a certain container (cabinet, drawer, and so on).