Alternative to manila folders?

[Aaron]

I just recently got "Getting Things Done," and I'm a long way from
finishing the book and reading through all the various tips submitted
on this group and 43folders.com. But I've been trying to procure
supplies in advance, so I'm ready to jump right in when I get to that
point, and I'm having some problems finding things. Particularly
manila folders.

See, I recently became a foreign exchange student in Japan (which
created a bit of an obstacle with getting the book right up front), and
the selection of office and school supplies here is a little...
different. The basic functionality is familiar, but for many basic
paper and organizational items the size and/or form they take is
different than the US. I have looked several places, but I've been
unable to find a box of basic manila folders, or a suitable alternative
(the closest I came was similar but much thicker, sold separately at
around 80¢ a folder). Usually any folder that looks vaguely like a
standard manila folder has lines on the front to write the contents,
and a fastener on the bottom on the back to secure paper to it. My
desk here even has a filing cabinet that would work perfectly...

It seems that file folders are a pretty organizational tool in
implementing this system (esp. for a tickler file), but is anyone using
a suitable alternative? This is really frustrating.

[Merlin Mann]

I'm not sure this routes around your actual problem (or just presents a
more costly one), but I generally use manila folders just for little
reference things. My real _workhorse_ are big Columbian Kraft-paper
clasp envelopes (I've recently upgraded to the gargantuan 12" x 15"
model). That's what I use for my actual working project materials.
They're on [Froogle][1], so you might look around for a place that will
deliver. Ditto for the manila folders.

Is it difficult to get things delivered there?
[1]: http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=CO910&btnG=Search+Froogle

[Aaron]

I think the only envelopes I've seen at all similar to that are for
shipping, and thus bubble-lined and mor expensive. Why do you use
those clasp envelopes over manila folders? Also, do you use a physical
tickler system?

I haven't tried Froogle yet, perhaps I'll investigate there. It seems
as if OfficeMax & Staples don't deliver internationally; Amazon.com
does but its office supplies are provided by Office Depot, which again
doesn't ship internationally. There are Office Depot stores in Japan
but most are in Tokyo (there used to be one here in Hiroshima but
apparently it closed down); they have a website but I don't think I
could order without some help, and I think the manila folders I'm
seeing have those plastic clasps on the bottom.

I just thought of a resource for help though: my contact in the
international dept. at school, who speaks decent English, and there's
another English-native speaker there who can help. And since they work
in an office environment, they would know the best place for supplies.

If that doesn't work, I guess I'll investigate froogle. Seems silly
that I should have this much trouble finding such a simple supply.

[Brad L. Graham]

What about using an accordian file or two, if those or something
similar are available?

[Aaron]

They do have those available, and something like that may work (in
fact, I've got a small zippered one in my backpack), but I think that
comes with several disadvantages:

- can't implement tickler system with it
- fixed size, can't add or subtract from the amount available
- can't really use a label maker on it
- can't deal with a file on its own without removing contents from the
accordion file, which means you've got a loose pile of unlabeled
documents in front of you

I've got to really make some progress on this book over the weekend,
and try to make some progress on organizing things properly, one way or
another. Things are starting to pile up in here, between a bunch of
cards/scraps of paper that I have important bits of info written on,
business cards, various purchases I've made and product literature.

[John]

Hey Aaron,

Not sure where you are in Japan, but there are a few Office Depot
locations in Tokyo. The one I frequent is in Shibuya.

Otsukare.

[Aaron]

>From a couple posts back, quoting myself:

"There are Office Depot stores in Japan
but most are in Tokyo (there used to be one here in Hiroshima but
apparently it closed down)"

In any case, I found out about a couple more office supply stores, and
they did have a close approximation of the standard American manila
folder. They are thicker, have those lines to write on in the front,
and go for over ¥600 for a ten-pack (that's about $5.75 US, which can
buy you a box of $100 for the Office Depot brand on their website), but
at least they have them. I just bought a single ten-pack for now,
thinking maybe I won't have to do a physical tickler system.

Also, I got a 30-pack of Kraft envelopes for a little over ¥500, which
may make for a better way of organizing most things, esp. considering
the price difference. Only downside is that they don't come with the
metal clasps here.

[John]

I actually use physical files as little as possible. Most things I
keep as reference can be scanned (and is scanned). Maybe you can
rethink your need?

[Andy J. W. Affleck]

I am curious how many people do use physical files. I am so rarely
given anything on paper at work. My life is almost entirely digital so
I am doing just fine with a system using Microsoft Entourage 2004 as
the master controller. All inbound email, notes I take, files I am
sent, documents I am working on, etc. all are linked to tasks in
Entourage and are assigned to (a) projects (using the project center)
and (b) Categories (which are the @Work, @Home, etc. items).

I do carry around manila folders for the inevitable paper I sometimes
get but every item in those folders is referenced in a task in
Entourage so I only have the folders to hold the artifacts but I don't
actually LOOK in the folders until a given task is the one I am
working on now and requires me to refer to the physical object.

Granted, I've been at this for 1 week so this is subject to evolution... :)

-A

[Aaron]

Though I think it would be advantageous to use the computer to organize
as much as possible, there's no getting around the paper I have to work
with. Right now around my room I have maps and literature on
Hiroshima, plenty of info on my dorm and University, product
literature, papers for my alien card and such, manuals for my new cell
phone, some 3x5 cards with notes scribbled on them (I started adopting
the "hipster PDA," even if I don't really know how to use it properly
yet), a few pieces of mail, a bill for the dorm, purchase receipts,
homework assignments... you get the idea. This all needs to be
organized properly; even if I had a scanner that would be of no use for
most of this stuff.

[Samuel DeVore]

I use the command line with GeekTool (
http://projects.tynsoe.org/en/geektool/ ) to add subtile notifications
and monitors to my screen ( see
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38242783@N00/686973 for a peek) I also
have the option of turning on other monitors, including graphs and
stuff. It lets me check server's status at a glance and other stuff.

Sam D

[Jason Schlumbohm]

I've tried using Geektool before. It seems like it would be useful on
a desktop machine, with lots of screen real estate, but I just can't
figure out what it would be useful for on a iBook/Powerbook. I can't
justify having it float on top of something else on such a small (I
have a 12") screen. If I could embed it in the desktop, like
replicants in BeOS, that would be great.

[Samuel DeVore]

You can choose to have things float on top (that's how I add the
little green dots that turn red when services fail) to the top edge of
the menu bar (seems like wasted space to me) and then you can have
things that exist on the desktop level like the replicants if I
remember right, that is where I have things like console.log and
system.log and others that I can see on my mac with a f-11 (expose)

Sam D

[Alison Scott]

At work it's almost entirely efiles -- I have about 20 folders and
don't anticipate making very many more.

At home I'm up to about 50 physical folders and most of my filing
material isn't yet reworked through. I just have much more paper stuff
at home (example; I bought new DECT phones at the weekend, and the
guarantee requires you to keep both the receipt and the operating
instructions. There would be more paper yet if I hadn't got an
excellent, quick scanner at home so that I scan what I can.

[Adam Rice]

What scanner do you use? I've got a slow scanner and it's putting me
off my grand unfiling plan.

[Alison Scott]

I'm using an Epson 4870 Photo, which is a fast Firewire flatbed with
transparency adapters for various film types (including medium format).
It's an expensive scanner and I think you can get something a lot
cheaper (without the various film scanning options) that's still fast.
I recommend doing some research because there are lots of scanners that
turn out to work slowly or badly with OS X, or only have a native TWAIN
driver rather than a scanning app.

The main thing I use for GTD scanning (as opposed to art & photo
scanning) is Epson's own scan app. If you're scanning multiple sheets
of something (eg an instruction manual) then you can set it to
automatically name each scan in order and save them to file, so the
workflow's much easier.

Though my top GTD for instruction manuals is to see if there's a PDF on
the web. Grab the PDF, save it locally (sorry, am obsessive that way),
recycle the manual.