I have been meaning to address, for years, our current filing system. Prior to the pandemic, my husband used to own a blocky Restoration Hardware desk that housed a filing cabinet on one side. The desk was a heavy metal drag, weighing at over 80 pounds. At the time of purchase, it matched our Industrial loft (the one we rented) but after moving into a more minimalist space, we decided to upgrade it to a Herman Miller Sit-Stand desk. It was ideal for my husband who was transitioning to WFH, a situation that has lasted to this day.
With the loss of the filing cabinet we relegated all important documents to a storage bin. After moving a third time to an even smaller condo, the bin has been stowed in a shoe closet underneath the stairs. Out of sight, out of mind. But the messiness of the situation every time I had to find a file was driving me mad. I went back and forth between alternative storage options. For months, I debated over minimalist filing cabinets on wheels. My favorite happened to be Branch Furniture’s miniature system in white. But did I want to store yet another furniture piece by my minimalist WFH desk, which may be going away with the addition of a baby crib in the coming months?
I held out for a permanent solution for years. Every time I started to lose it with the unsightly temporary solution, I took a deep breath, and stock. At the best of times, I tried to keep things as organized as possible using file folders. At the worst of times, I simply threw papers haphazardly into the bin for a later date. Breathe, and walk away. Sometimes, that’s the solution.
The solution came whilst perusing baby items at Target. I was walking by the stationary aisle (as I returned organizational baskets I did not need, AGAIN), when one single clear bin caught my eye. It was this plastic hanging file crate with lid.
I have since purchased and taken home said file crate and finished a project that I’ve long been ignoring. Which is to say, I went through every document we had on file and decluttered what we did not need. Papers that could be digitized and uploaded were done so. Medical receipts, for example, were photographed and uploaded onto our HSA account for reimbursement. It is a task I have been avoiding for far too long! One might argue that I could digitize all paperwork but I am a paper person at the end of the day, and want to keep the most important ones at hand.
There is so much to fall in love with this product. I love the lid which protects our papers from dust. I love the handles on the bin that make carrying the crate out of the closet easier. Notches on either side allow for hanging file folders and better organization. Overall, it is light, easy to move around, and easy to store. Plus, it looks absolutely minimalist.
When it comes to tiny spaces, tiny wins are BIG.
