Inevitably, piles of paperwork grow into mountains over time. When considering a home removal, you wonder, ‘Which of these documents do I need to keep?’. How do I decide which ones to toss? Here are some tips from City Removalists on how to turn mountains into molehills again.
To begin with, determine which documents are most important!
Medical records, birth certificates, passports, legal documents, insurance policies, tax records, and documentation for your valuables are all important documents to keep. Prepare a three-ring binder for each family member and pet in advance of the move.
Place important documents in each file, including medical and veterinary records, birth certificates, registration papers, insurance policies, wills, advance directives, and other important documents. To find them quickly in an emergency, put them in a clear plastic sleeve and organize them by type, this is especially important on an interstate removal as the distance is usually much father.
Maintain a secure location for your passport and driver's license. Passports should never be left in carry-ons when flying to your new home. If the plane doesn't have enough space for your carry-on luggage, you may need to check them before boarding. Put your life at risk. Don't forget to carry your ID and credit cards.
Find the owner's manual for the appliances you plan to keep next!
Most people still have their fridge paperwork from three fridges ago. Remove the paperwork from appliances you tossed out a long time ago. The owner's manuals for your old appliances should be taped to them if you plan to sell or donate them. Don't keep it in your file cabinets.
Make sure you have a moving box dedicated to storing all appliance owners' manuals that you will take with you. Put a good label on it. When it's time to unload the truck, ask the removalists to load the box near the back of the truck so you'll be able to locate it easily. During the installation of your new appliances, you may need these.
Make sure your tax records are organized, labelled, and packed away - five years' worth!
Records need only be kept for five years, according to the ATO. That's what you should keep, and that's what you should pitch. Make sure you shred any documents containing sensitive information, however, to protect your financial information.
Are there any sentimental papers clogging up my files?
There's no denying it. Junior's dinosaur drawings don't have to be all grouped together. A few should be kept, and the rest should be discarded. You can scan the rest and store them on your computer's hard drive–or even in the cloud–if you can't bear to let them go.
You don't have to keep all the medical records for Fluffy. Do not keep the paperwork, just keep a few pictures. You should scan and store your pets' competition records if they were show animals. Keep only the most meaningful memories of your departed pets.
Finally, make sure your digital storage documents are backed up!
Backing up important information is essential. Before moving, backup all your important digitally stored documents. You'll have peace of mind knowing that your data is protected.
If you wait until you arrive at your new house to clean out all the clutter, you'll have considerably fewer boxes than if you sort through all your files now. The removalists will charge you less for fewer boxes. Your new home will cost you more money. If you are looking for a removalist in Parramatta, please call us on 1300 441 331.