You shouldn't have to search your texts to find out when a repair was requested.
Tenant files are easy to forget about when things are quiet. The lease is signed, rent is coming in, and the folder you started at move-in sits there looking neglected. Then you need to check a date or pull up an agreement, and you're looking in three places for one answer. One of those places is a text thread you really don't want to scroll.
I'd keep a tenant file simple enough that adding to it takes about a minute. A system that needs an afternoon of filing every month isn't a system, it's a hobby.
What to keep
Start with the signed lease, addenda, and any renewals or written changes. Keep move-in and move-out condition records there too, including dated photos and the tenant's comments if you have them.
Then add records as the tenancy goes on: rent received, maintenance requests and what happened next, notices, and important conversations about the lease or the property. Save the date and how a notice was sent. That detail is almost impossible to reconstruct later.
Application and screening records need more care. They may contain personal information that doesn't belong in an everyday folder, and screening reports can have different rules for storage and disposal. Check those requirements before deciding what to keep and for how long.
The habit that keeps the file useful
When a repair is finished, save the request and the follow-up. When terms change, file the signed update with the lease. Do it while the details are still in front of you, because "I'll file it later" is how a folder becomes a pile.
You don't need fancy labels. You need to know where the record is, who can access it, and whether it's current. (A folder called "Misc" doesn't count.) Before you delete anything after a tenant moves out, check the retention rules for that type of record. Dispose of sensitive information securely when it's time.
General information, not legal advice. Recordkeeping, privacy, and retention requirements vary by location and document type. Check the rules that apply to your records.