Old bills etc

[Helen GV]

I keep my bank statements but am having a bit of a spring clean frenzy and would love to get rid of paperwork I don't need.

What do I need to keep and what can I get rid of?

I have recently become self employed to some extent so know I need to keep anything relevant to my tax returns, but what about past bills, tenancy agreements, etc...?

[Saffron]

Anything to do with tax, keep 5 years. General bills, 2 years. Old tenancies, probably don't need to keep unless there was any dispute remaining unresolved at the end of the contract. Just my rules of thumb.

[Ruth_Baldock]

anything to do with money, I ignore and squash into the drawer of the bureau. Denial; not just a river in Egypt.

[Saffron]

Oh yes, actually, that's what I do too!

[womanofdulwich]

big a4 ring folder- with 26 letter dividers. maybe scan a load of stuff in?

[Helen GV]

Me too, hence my mountain of paper, but my current mantra is EMPTY EMPTY EMPTY!

[Saffron]

When moving house once many years ago, Hubbie and I had a massive clearout of old documents. We put so much stuff through the shredder, we burnt out the motor. I can't rem what Southwark accepts, but Lewisham recycling now accepts shredded paper. xx

[dulwichgirl2]

Tax six years minimum but I keep for ten.

Old bills etc we bin immediately more or less if a real reading but keep if an estimate.

Bank statements I keep till it becomes idiotic to do so.

We are also having a spring clean but the place looks atrocious currently. Like builders, spring cleaning makes things worse first!

[Helen GV]

Thanks everyone, I'm worried I'm going to throw away something important (like my no claims certificate for car insurance which I did last time, expensive mistake but thought as I didn't have a car anymore why would I need all these documents?!)

[prickle]

I keep absolutely everything that looks vaguely official. Quite interesting to look back on eg how much you used earn? if you're interested in such things.

[KateW]

Hahaha Ruth, that did make me chuckle!