I find it useful to declare a backlog, stop fretting about your previous lack of filing and start afresh.
Dealing with backlog
Get a lever arch folder, a very large box and a bin bag. Get all paper, sort through into 3 very rough piles:
- super important, don't even think about losing it, paper - eg passports, birth certs, driving licence, anything else irreplaceable.
- useful to keep (old bills, bank statements, receipts for big ticket items etc)
- rubbish.
Hopefully Pile 1 will be quite small - put it in the folder and mark it with "Very Important Stuff"
Pile 2 goes in the box. If you need something from , you will be motivated to find it in the box. Write the date you sorted the box on the front so that you know newer stuff won't be in it.
Pile 3 in the bin.
Going forward, get a folder for new bills and statements etc. Personally, I just punch holes in the documents and put them all in one folder in any old order (one folder for house stuff and one for personal, DH can do his own). Again, this relies on the "if I need it, I will spend the time looking for it" method. Provided you know that there is only one place it can be, this is just as quick as filing into individual folders, especially as it should all be in date order. It also has the advantage of being very very quick and therefore more likely to work.
I also have an old purse to put loyalty cards E111 cards etc in, kept with the VIP stuff in a drawer.