01 Oct Closing Time – What to Keep When Moving
Moving can be a stressful time – especially right now. Houses are selling left and right, meaning that buyers and sellers alike are having to move quickly and efficiently. In order to do so, it may be time to do some cleaning. It can be important to understand what paperwork can safely be disposed of and what should be kept as you move to your new home. Greenway Shredding is here to help you make a smooth transition. Here are some of the best rules of thumb on what to keep and what to securely dispose of when moving:
Old Bills – Dispose
While in the past many people considered keeping old bills a “best practice” in ensuring you are up to date with payments and your account is correct, that practice has gone out the window for the most part. Once you can confirm that a bill is correct and has been paid, it is safe to toss it. Remember, paperwork that includes account numbers or personal information should be disposed of securely (shredded) to keep your information safe.
There has been an increase in the popularity and security of electronic billing. Therefore, many people can remove the need to dispose of paper bills by opting not to receive them. Even better? Some companies even offer incentives for choosing paperless billing. Contact your provider to learn more!
Personal Identification Documents – Keep
It may seem like this doesn’t need to be said, but it is extremely important to always keep personal identification documents when you are moving. This includes birth certificates and social security cards. Not only will you most likely need these documents in order to move, but they are documents that you will need in many situations throughout your life. Typically, with these kinds of documents, electronic copies are not valid and the original, physical copy is necessary.
Not only is it important to keep these documents, but it is also important to keep them in a safe place – a lot of people actually keep these documents in a safe. That way, they are safe from theft and natural disasters such as floods and fires.
Purchase Receipts – Probably Dispose
Most old receipts are totally unnecessary to keep. Some people keep receipts in order to keep track of spending and purchases. With banking statements and online banking at our fingertips, it is typically unnecessary to keep these pesky pieces of paper.
The “probably dispose” comes into play when the purchase is something that you plan to itemize on your next tax return. If this is the case, you should keep the receipt in a safe place. While this is not an extremely common situation, it does happen. Common purchases that may qualify as tax-deductible include medical expenses, childcare expenses, and unreimbursed work-related expenses.
Property-Related Documents – Keep Handy
There are a lot of different property-related documents that are not only important to keep during the moving process, but helpful to keep handy. These include buying/selling agreements, lease copies, mortgage documents of both the old and new home, insurance policies, and more.
Not only can they be important in the future, but they can be necessary during your move. Keeping them handy and ready for use can help reduce unnecessary unpacking to search for the documents.
Greenway Shredding Can Help with Disposal
Greenway’s document shredding services are designed to protect your sensitive information while practicing environmental responsibility. The courts have ruled that once you place your material into a trashcan, recycling receptacle, or dumpster, you lose all privacy rights to that information, no matter how sensitive or proprietary it is – even if it’s your trashcan. If you are looking for a secure way to get rid of documents before your big move, contact Greenway Shredding!