Do you find yourself with stacks of unopened mail and random papers throughout your house? Are you not sure what items are important enough to keep? In an increasingly paperless world, it’s hard to know what papers we actually need to keep hard copies of. If you’re trying to get your paper clutter in order, here is a list of what to keep and what to toss.
Keep: Warranties and large appliance manuals
Toss: Small appliance manuals and things you can find easily online
Keep: Tax documents from the last 7 years
Toss: Shred Tax documents 8 years or older
Keep: A special note from a relative or friend
Toss: Cards with just a signature
Keep: Torn out recipes or inspiration from magazines
Toss: Catalogs or old magazines you’ve never read
Keep: Your most recent billing statements
Toss: Old bills you’ve already paid
Keep:
-Birth Certificates
-Passports
-Lease or Mortgage records
-Insurance records
-Receipts from large purchases made in the last year
-Legal/Estate planning docs
-Death certificates
-Marriage Certificates
-Social Security Cards
-Titles
Toss:
-Documents you don't recognize
-Anything you're keeping out of guilt
-Documents from high school or college
-Reference articles you intend to read but never do
-Receipts from small purchases
-Old Bank Statements
*Make sure to shred anything with account numbers, social security numbers, and personal information.
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