October is Dyslexia Awareness Month so I thought I'd give you some tips on how to create an effective filing system that works with dyslexia, not against it.  Dyslexia is a neurologically-based learning disorder.  People with dyslexia tend to have difficulties with reading and written expression.  They may often confuse letters (e.g. b and d, m and w, etc.) or words.  Individuals with dyslexia tend to think in pictures or images, rather than words. They may also have a tendency to be pilers rather than filers.  With that being said, it may difficult for someone with dyslexia to maintain a traditional filing system.  Don't despair though. If you have dyslexia, I have some tips to help you create a custom filing system that will meet your needs.

1. Experiment with creating pictures and/or symbols (along with the actual word) to represent your file categories.  Use these pictures as labels.
2. Forgo the file drawer or cabinet.  Use clear-view binders and create custom covers, spines, and dividers for different categories (again, include pictures).  Another alternative to a traditional file cabinet or drawer is to use creatively-labeled stackable letter trays or bins.  This will allow you to still pile things, but in an organized manner.
3. Create a master list or index.  Many people who have dyslexia also have difficulty with rote memorization, so this will help if you have trouble remembering the categories.
4. Use color coding.  Use different colored binders, dividers, trays, bins, file folders, or hanging files for different broad categories. This will add a visual reminder to where a particular document might be located.  Use corresponding colored tabs, as well.  This will help cut down on light sensitivity.  Some people with dyslexia have trouble reading black letters on a white background, so reading the category title through the filter of color may actually be beneficial.
5. Work with your symptoms not against them.  Everyone is different. People with dyslexia are still individuals with individual differences, so figure out what your own particular symptoms are and work with those.  Also, figure out what your strengths are and work with those, as well. We all have our own set of strengths and weaknesses, the key is to figure out what they are and use them to the best of our abilities. If you don't do something well, find out what you do do well and cultivate it.

Additional On-Line Resources

International Dyslexia Association
Central Ohio Branch of the International Dyslexia Association
National Center for Learning Disabilities
Learning Disabilities Association of America