Storing Manuals

Photo Source: Carolyn Anderson-Fermann

When it comes to getting and staying organized there are no hard and fast rules. 

Take today's subject of storing manuals: you can store manuals with the product, in a box or in a file folder. These are just three options and they are all correct. 

And, if you want to think out of the box completely, who says you even have to keep a paper manual? Some new products, such as the iPhone or Kindle e-reader, do not even come with a manual. It is all on-line if you need it. 

The important thing to remember when storing manuals, particularly for big ticket items, is retrieval. Will you be able to find what you want, when you need it? 

While it was not very fun at the time, I recently had a great opportunity to test my method for storing manuals. In February of 2008, I wrote a blog post about storing the manuals for our home water pump and tank. The photo above shows the water tank for our home and the manuals in a plastic sleeve taped to the wall. 

A couple of weeks ago, my family awoke to no water. It was a good thing that I had the manuals for the pump and tank taped to the basement wall. The manuals included the following information: the well company's contact information, installation dates and warranties for each item. 

It turned out that our tank had failed and was still under warranty. Our water was running again by 10:30 a.m. that morning. 

The thing about being organized is that it makes our busy lives just a little bit easier. Are you tired of living in clutter and chaos? Of not finding what you need when you need it? Let me guide you on what I like to call your "organizing journey". 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. To receive a free copy of Carolyn's "Secrets of a Simply Organized Life"and a monthly subscription to the e-newsletter "Your Simply Organized Life" sign up here. 

No Water! (Storing Manuals)

My family and I live in a semi-rural community and we depend upon our own well for water. This morning while I was taking a shower, I noticed that the water pressure was not at its usual level. Then, after a bit, it just stopped. There was no more water.

I called my husband (who already had his shower!) and he checked our tank in the basement. The pressure gauge showed zero (not that I needed confirmation). We had no water.

Fortunately, by 10 a.m. this morning Cribley Drilling came to the rescue. Unfortunately, we needed a new pump and tank ($$$!). The guys from Cribley installed the new equipment and after writing a large check, we now have water again.

I was also left with the manual for the pump, which is outside in the ground, in our well. Being a professional organizing consultant, I do have a file for manuals, but know that if the water ever goes out again we would first go to the basement (not to my office) and if we ever moved the manual should stay with the house.

My solution was to put the manual for the pump in a plastic sleeve, use packaging tape and tape it to the basement wall near the water tank. Now it is there for me if I ever need it. I also wrote the date, company name and years of warranty on the manual for future reference.

Now, I just need to get back to my normal routine for the day!