Tip for Filing Receipts

Ever buy something, bring it home, find out it isn't quite right or it breaks and you need to return it, and then spend two hours tearing the house apart trying find the receipt?

I've created a "Receipts" folder that I place in the hanging file labeled with each month. (See my Tickler File post for details). As I come home and empty my pockets I put all receipts that have anything on them that I could possibly need to return in the appropriate "Receipts" folder (e.g., October receipts go in the "Receipts" folder in the "October" hanging file).

When I need to find a receipt I know within two months of when I purchased it and can find it quickly.

Parenthetically, I take the receipt out of the "Receipts" folder and drop it into my "Errands" folder so it's with me the next time I'm out and can do something about it. I also usually grab the item in question at this point and drop it in front of the door.

Personal Productivity, Time Management, Effectiveness, GTD, Getting Things Done