Heart & Parcel (recycled card files)
There are likely billions of pieces of paper in our country, from personal papers to business accounts to archived documents. Not only does this mean fire hazards and clutter, it’s unclear to many which documents need to be legally kept. And getting confused means that people end up collectively paying millions of forgotten direct debits to insurance companies and gym memberships. Sorting out your paperwork really does make life simple, from making a simple legal Will to digitising loved photos (and getting rid of the rest) to sorting out what papers to keep, what to recycle and what to shred.
The Paper Solution is about what to keep, what to shred and how to stop paperwork taking over your life. We are drowning in paper and keep stacks of it on the kitchen counter, stash it in drawers, and stuff file cabinets with 18,000 sheets each. Lias Woodruff shows how to remove chaos, to reclaim time.
A driving licence or passport is a good idea, as today it’s needed for nearly everything as a form of ID. If you don’t drive and don’t want a passport, then get an ID card. Not having one of these will make life stressful and long-winded, to do anything from opening a bank account to setting up a business.
- Keep all your car documents in one place.
- Insurance documents in one place too .
- Birth certificates. Marriage and divorce and death certificates.
- A living will and a Will, including a pet trust for companion animals. And power of attorney.
- Your business documents including a business bank account.
- Your bank account details with other financial documents.
- Your house documents including the deeds and mortgage documents.
- National insurance numbers.
- Business licenses and insurance. and tax info.
You have to keep tax records for 7 years, payslips and bank statement for at least 1 year. Keep all home documents for 6 years. Along with:
- Medical records.
- Warranty documents.
- Pension details
You can put non-glossy paper in the compost in. To shred without a shredder, shredder scissors do the same without the electricity, and have 5 sets of blades to prevent fraud. Use them to instantly shred confidential documents, photos and credit cards into unreadable confetti. You can also use them to shred salads, vegetables, herbs and pasta (but be sure to wash them first, to avoid ink going on your food!)
How to Prevent ID theft and fraud
If you live simply and shop locally, you are not as much a target for someone who shops online all the time. Don’t take out credit cards or loans, and get out of debt.
- Keep all numbers in a safe place and stop all junk mail. Don’t fill in surveys or play international lorries.
- Safeguard physical mail. Or use a virtual business address.
- Secure mobile devices, update software and get off social media.
- Enable SSL on websites, never click spam email links and avoid public Wi-Fi. Install Nord VPN.
- Cup your hand, when entering pin numbers.
- Never buy from salesmen, especially if they ‘special offers only available today’.
- Report anything suspicious to Action Fraud.
- Never give bank details or passwords to people you don’t know. Genuine companies will never ask by phone.
- Don’t be embarrassed. Clever people get scammed. Ask for help.
Keep Online Passwords Secure
Last Pass is an online password manager trusted by millions. The basic version is free, or upgrade for more options. You get passwords to protect against hackers, and can store digital records, insurance, memberships and passwords.
DinoPass is an easy password generator for children. Children can choose from simple or strong passwords. Generated from a large set of words, these are designed without offensive words (if one gets accidentally generated, just let them know)
