the paperwork of life, where and for how long?

merlin1

Hi all, I wasn't sure if i should post this here or in oldstyler's, so if i'm in the wrong place place i'm sorry.

my question is pretty much as per the title. I am currently undergoing one helluva sort out and chuck out and I'm finding stuff paperwork wise that i've kept just in case from nearly 10 years ago! so, what do you keep and where and for how long? I'll try and list things, but i am just starting to realise why ive been so short of space in my little 2 up 2 down and that being self employed hasn't helped matters either!

so...

Utilities. gas, water, electric, oil, phone, internet etc... how long is a good time to keep bills? ( I'm paperless for many of mine now but still have those bills)

insurances. ( again I'm paperless) but i do tend to keep correspondence, same as above

Rent or mortgage. I get half yearly statements

any credit, again I'm paperless but keep letters.

personal papers - now this is important obviously, i'm talking nhs cards, birth certs, marriage certs, death certs, hospital papers, and the want to keeps - covers adults achievements, kids achievements, certs; anything special.

I do know to keep self employed book keeping stuff, that's all in the loft, but its all this other gumpf that not only i'm finding as I go about drilling holes where they shouldn't be drilled, and filling drawers i've just emptied but that is also being delivered in the post!. I used to have a bureau (yeeeaars ago) since that went everything either slung on the side or stuffed in a drawer. this can no longer happen.

in a nutshell... what do you keep, for how long, and where?

merlin x

sacha28

I'm having mild issues with this and my OH as we're moving and trying to de-clutter!!

My personal view is....if I haven't looked at it in a year then it can go. Obviously birth certs etc get kept, I have a file for important documents.

My OH, on the other hand, has things from his childhood (he's 38!) that he's really sentimental about. This is the kind of stuff that I did away with about 6 months after leaving school, pictures of my own name from art class etc, but he won't get rid. We currently have a garage stacked from top to bottom of boxes full of this kind of stuff (including a blow up croccidile!!)

Nicki

I am a bit anal with paperwork but this is what I do:

utilities: 12 months worth only. Because the only reason to keep these is to compare usage over a year for the purpose of switching providers

insurances: I keep these for 6 years because that is the limitation period within which you could be sued or could sue and may need cover

rent or mortgage: I keep this permanently, but actually there is no need to keep more than your latest annual statement which will show what has been paid to date and what is still owing.

credit card: I keep for 6 years again because that is the limitation period. However I have only once in 20 years needed a credit card statement that old (to take back an item which I bought 4 years previously which broke when I expected it to last longer)

personal papers: forever.

want to keeps: for as long as they have sentimental value. I review these periodically.

I have a single cupboard full of lever arch files and document wallets and when it is full, something needs to be culled.

balletshoes

i have one box file for the house bills/insurances/etc

one for my personal/car bills/insurances/certs

one for my OHs stuff

one for my daughters stuff (at the moment this also holds her achievement certs, report cards etc).

When they are full, I do a chuck-out of the bills/insurances which are over one year old and have expired.

Apart from that, I have a few letters/mementos in a small drawer, and my daughter has something similar in her room.

I don't keep a lot, only those things which have real sentimental value for me, and certainly not everything I've ever had since childhood, nor everything my daughter has ever produced etc. I don't keep teeth, curls of hair, birthday or xmas cards, none of that stuff.

eta - as an adult i,ve moved house 7 times (and i'm not finished yet) so i try to keep the clutter to a minimum.

Tiglath

One file for household bills/services.
One file for debts and payslips etc.
One file for pension/savings/investments.
A miscellaneous box for personal papers/genealogy paperwork.

merlin1

my wardrobe gets the not worn or looked at in 12 months treatment, for some reason i struggle with papers i'll keep them for moons.... thanks all very much for your feedback though, i'm taking the ideas

( ive found receipts from 8 years ago... i saved them but why keep them so long? cos I've been lazy thats why )

merlin x

amibovvered

About 4 years ago I finally got round to shredding salary slips from 1976 . . . .

peachyprice

I chuck it all in the bottom of a cupboard and throw it out when I can't close the door anymore. Probably once every couple of years.

onlyroz

It's important to keep anything relating to your house that the future owner will need or want, e.g. FENSA/gas/electrical and other building regs certificates for any work you've done to the house. If you're a leaseholder then I'd keep any paperwork relating to service charges and major works bills etc. And any guarantees that are still valid (e.g. our roofing felt came with a 15 year guarantee).

I also keep paperwork relating to long term investments and insurance, in particular pensions and life insurance.

Utility bills I tend to hoard but I think you only really need to keep a few years worth.

Otherwise there's the obvious stuff like wills, passports, birth certificates etc etc.