Keeping documents on hand can help ensure you have a complete paper trail—from bills to tax records—in case they’re ever needed. But as filing cabinets reach capacity, you might start stacking papers in other spots like closets, drawers, or even around your desk. When papers start to clutter your space, it’s a clear sign it’s time to prepare for an end-of-year paper purge.
Steps to Start Your Purge:
- Consult Your Accountant: Review with your accountant or refer to your industry’s guidelines to confirm how long different types of documents should be kept.
- Sort and Discard: Go through each document—if it’s past its required retention period and unrelated to taxes, warranties, or licenses, it’s time to add it to your “purge” box.
- Schedule a Secure Shredding Pickup: Once you’ve sorted through everything, reach out to SecureShred for a convenient pickup. We can come to your home or office to securely shred those unnecessary documents.
Tips for an Efficient Paper Purge:
- Create a Document Retention Schedule: Work with a tax professional to establish a timeline for which documents you need to keep and for how long.
- Tackle One Area at a Time: Excess paperwork can be overwhelming, so try to focus on one drawer or cabinet section each session. By setting aside time each week, you can gradually make progress and avoid feeling overloaded.
- Digitize What You Can: If you feel attached to certain records or enjoy looking back on previous accounts, consider scanning them for digital storage.
- Environmentally Friendly Shredding: After SecureShred completes the shredding, the shredded material is baled and sent to a recycling facility. Once there, it’s processed with other paper and bleached to create new paper products like paper towels or cardboard. This means you’re reducing paper clutter while also contributing to environmental sustainability.
Making Future Purges Simpler
A once-a-year file purge is a big undertaking, but once you’re done, maintaining neatness and organization is easier with regular monthly shredding. With SecureShred’s locked shred box, you can securely store expired documents in your office as they accumulate. Drop in junk mail, expired files, or any papers with personal information right away—this keeps clutter under control and ensures your next year-end cleanup will be far easier to handle.
By setting aside time for a regular paper purge, you keep your space clutter-free and better organized for the year ahead.
