Holding on to documents

[melodylogan45]

I have so many old bills and bank statements that I need to get rid of but, my shredder is broken so I will have to be a new one. I still have a bad habit of saving everything.

Do you keep all of your documents(bills, bank statments, etc) or shredd them?

[samrhett2]

I understand.  I always have a fear of getting rid of something and then later needing it.  I have sometimes sat on the floor and manually torn the pages up because I don't own a shredder, but I do keep too much.  I have real estate closing papers from a house I sold 20 years ago.  I just feel like I might need it for something one day.

[rghvac69]

I keep everything. It is so hard to go back and get a copy of something from a company, especially if it's been a long time.

[LenoraMinogue]

I think there's definitely a value of keeping documents. I periodically purge the ones I don't need anymore, but some things are good to hold on to for a long time.

[Gerianne]

my neighbor lost her driver's license.
she's been married three times.
she wanted to replace it online but can't.
she was told that she needs proof of her name change as it is presently.
she has her birth certificate but doesn't have the documents of her divorces.....her name changes.
the DMV is being stricter in its policies.

[nannycoe1]

I have boxes os paperwork from years a go. My daughter thinks I am crazy because I save every receipt and bill. Just a habit I can't seem to break.

[ljrjess69]

I use to but not anymore!!!

[ricdsm]

I keep all my financial/legal papers for 10 years.

[Tresbn00]

Great timing on this one!  I have about twenty large Banker's Boxes in my crawl space from a business that I haven't really been involved in for about eight years! I just took a minute break from typing this reply to add "Grab a Box from the Crawl Space" so that I can start taking three files per day, next week, to work and deposit them in the commercial shredder bin!  I am in a purging phase right now! My house is relatively clean but there is cursery rubbish that can be removed.  I need to go through my closet as well.  I think that, if I haven't touched anything in two years it is time to donate it to someone who may be able to put it to good use.

[msmoneybags48]

As for the lady who is divorced, she can get a copy of her divorce papers.  I keep records of most things, but there are certain documents (like income taxes) that can be disposed of after three years.  I need to get a shredder myself.  I have papers from four years ago, but I plan to buy myself a shredder and get rid of some unnecessary clutter.

[tinaryerson]

have all my documents but unorganized

[potluck6]

I hate all the papers I have.I'll throw out bills from 3 years ago and bank statements things like that. When I do need something think I can easily find it noooo,need to organize better. Then you get in the mail daily more paper stuff you can throw out but I put them aside just incase I want to some day look at them.

[Cuppycake]

I have so many old bills and bank statements that I need to get rid of but, my shredder is broken so I will have to be a new one. I still have a bad habit of saving everything.

Do you keep all of your documents(bills, bank statments, etc) or shredd them?

Paperless. Enough said !

[dancer139]

I keep them for a year  in a  plastic container in the months they were done.   Each month I toss the old ones and shred them and add the new ones.  So I do this monthly  so I can actually keep things like house taxes i paid (  i always keep them  from years back ) .  utility bills and bank statements etc.  i just shred.  you can always get copies of that stuff if you need them.

[hotcocoa]

I have a current file, from which I clean out the previous year and put in manila envelope and label.  I keep about 5 years at all times in this manner.  I'm afraid to get rid of also.  I guess in this case, less is NOT more and better safe than sorry.  I need a new shredder also.