To Shred or Not To Shred, That Is the Question

When it comes to clearing out paper clutter, a shredder is a must

February 15, 2011

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Do you know which papers in your home you should be shredding—and which ones your can safely recycle? If you decided to follow the advice in my story last week on how to neaten your home office, then as you begin to attack the paper clutter, you'll need to know: to shred or not to shred.

I believe that every home should have a shredder. And when I say shredder, I mean a cross-cut shredder that reduces paper to pieces of confetti. The old-fashioned shredders, that had paper coming on in long strips, did nothing to protect your personal information. And that notion of protecting your personal information is exactly why you need a shredder.

Here is a quick explanation of what to shred and what not to shred:

TO SHRED

Credit card and bank statements
Credit card solicitations
Canceled checks
Bank deposit slips (I don't always do this but I should)
Credit card receipts (I admit I'm kind of lazy of this one, too)
Any paper with your social security number and/or your full name, address, and birth date on it

NOT TO SHRED BUT TO RECYCLE

General mail solicitations, such as postcards from local businesses (assuming you're not interested)
Advertising mail without personal information on it that comes stuffed in your bills
Magazines, newspapers, catalogs, and the like—you may want to remove your mailing address before recycling and then shred that part

TO KEEP

Tax documents for up to 7 years. The one caveat: if these tax documents are related to a long-term investment, such as real estate, you should hold onto them for as long as you own the investment
Receipts you may need for any warranties on products or services you have purchased
Contracts and related paperwork for any work you've had done around the house
Original paperwork related to insurance purchases, car ownership, living will, power of attorney, Social Security cards, your birth certificates, and anything dealing with long-term life decisions

Did I miss anything? How diligent are you about shredding?

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