Will the piles ever go away?

• Position: Your Life

Do you let unpaid bills, lists, and paperwork pile up on your desk? If so, according to a national Harris Interactive survey by Cambridge Home/Office Accessories, Stamford, Conn., you are not alone. More than 84% of those polled who deal with paperwork are pilers--they regularly stack up their paperwork instead of filing it.

"Piling may seem like a faster, easier option, but by delaying tasks like filing, we only compound the [work] later. In other words, the longer we wait, the more that accumulates, and the longer it will take to find or organize the paperwork," cautions time-management consultant Jeff Zbar.

On average, people lose 20 minutes per day looking for items in the office. Letting paperwork accumulate not only wastes time but, maintains the poll, searching through mounds is annoying (35%) and frustrating (31%). Additionally, 33% of individuals who deal with paperwork feel they have way too much to manage already. It is no wonder that 44% wish they had better systemization.

To get started on a more efficient filing system, Zbar recommends:

* Bring some order to the clutter--create simple categories and sort accordingly; get more detailed from there.

* Purchase expanding files or other home/office products designed with organization in mind.

* Keep a brightly colored priority file on your desk for items that...