OT-- What do you keep when filing?

Hey ladies,

This is off topic but related to the project I am trying to get finished up so I can start on my closet cleanout. I've been working on some filing-- paperwork of all kinds!

I looked up what I legally have to keep tax-wise and otherwise legally, but I would love to hear what you keep and the reasons for it. I asked my parents for advice on some things I've had in file boxes from before my move (copies of old leases and bills, pharmacy info, ect) but our family "paperwork manager" isn't inspiring my confidence-- her motto seems to be KEEP EVERYTHING, but KNOW WHERE NOTHING IS.

Also, for those that were students in the past, did you save class informational handouts, books, articles, and notes? If so, how did you decide? If you kept things, did you ever use them again?

I'd love tips--- I am trying to cut down on clutter, but don't mind hearing reasons why I should keep things as well. I'm just trying to increase space where I am currently living and prepare things to be moved or stored in the future and just get organized. I am usually a super organized person, but this year I moved and seem to have double the stuff, and have fallen behind with the health issues I had early in the year so I am trying to use some of this time while I am job hunting to dig myself out.

13 years ago

(website)

Veteran

Well, I used to keep everything. I mean, I had EVERY pay stub I'd ever earned since I was 18. At 40 I finally decided to just keep the first and last ones from each of my jobs. On the complete other end of the spectrum is my BF who literally tears up the bills as he pays them. He keeps nothing. And he's a financial manager!
I think somewhere in the middle is good. Up to 3 months back in utility bills, credit card statements, that kind of thing.
I used to have papers from school back to 6th grade reports. I don't anymore. I'd say buy a filing cabinet or keepsake box or chest of some kind and use it to organize what you've got. I use a box my mom was getting rid of that is a colorful map of the US. I find it fun to look at in the closet

elpgal

Elly, This post is so timely. I spent the entire weekend decluttering. A bulk of it was coursework and research papers dating as far back as 10 years. The questions I asked myself were - Will I ever interview or take on a research project in this specific area again? If so, what are the materials I will reach for? I ended up keeping review papers, projects I worked on, notes from relevant courses and my thesis. Everything else was tossed. I do have some pertinent textbooks and a hard disk full of academic files.

I also discarded old leases, credit reports and most receipts. I have copies of medical history from age 5 onwards. I kept receipts for things that are still under warranty, tax returns, bills which were paid using my HSA.

Louise

I do all my banking online so I chose to stop having paper bank statements. I do get credit card ones but again I bank online and log on regularly so I shred these as soon as they arrive, that should probably say put them in a pile to be shredded and then get round to it when the pile is toppling over!! I cancelled paper phone bills as I just check it online and they send me a text to check the amount when it's due, in fact I don't think I get any paper bills, they are all paid by direct debit. I keep the current tax years payslips then once I get my end of year payslip with the overall amounts on I shred the other payslips x

Course work portfolio and notes i need to get rid of I haven't looked at them since I did the courses which was about 10 years ago, I just need to pluck up the enthusiasm to remove each bit of paper from a poly pocket and shred the bits that have my details on x

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