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Original poster

How do you get rid of confidential letters?

37 replies

JackieTheFart · 07/04/2021 20:57

I used to take mine to work and put them in the confidential waste bin, but I can’t really do that now!

Was thinking of a shredder or even just a stamp to cover addresses - what do you do? I’ve let it all pile up so now I have two bags for life stuffed with letters that I need to get rid of.

OP posts:
Leah2005 · 07/04/2021 20:59

If I had 2 bags full, I might put them in the chiminea and burn them. Probably incredibly bad for the environment. I have a pair of multi blade scissors that I use to chop the addresses off letters and recycle the rest.

Myexisadick · 07/04/2021 21:01

Shred or soak in a big bucket with soapy water until they can be scrunched up/shredded by hand?

MaggieFS · 07/04/2021 21:02

I had a home shredder but it was tortuously slow. Now I've bought some pre paid sacks from a local shredding company (they do office collections mainly and shred on site), so pop everything in a sack and when it's full, seal it up and drop it off. Not the cheapest but worth it for ease and simplicity.

Dancingsmile · 07/04/2021 21:02

I shred them and put it in my paper recycling bag.

Megan2018 · 07/04/2021 21:04

Woodburner usually although I have a shredder. We get very little these days, used to be loads before all the bills were online.

Afishcalledwonderful · 07/04/2021 21:10

You can pulp them - hot soapy water in the sink and dunk in the paperwork. I add a squirt of bleach too.

Original poster
JackieTheFart · 07/04/2021 21:11

@Leah2005 like those ones for herbs and stuff? That sounds decent, I can handle that!

I’ve considered a shredder but I get SO impatient with them - I remember years ago I jammed the one at work trying to put too much in it Blush.

@Megan2018 I don’t get many either tbf, it’s also junk mail with my full name on. Also I’ve got a lot of credit card letters recently offering me great deals on transfers, which now I’ve cleared my debt I actually don’t need!

OP posts:
Original poster
JackieTheFart · 07/04/2021 21:12

@Afishcalledwonderful what do you do after that? Leave em in there for a bit and then put in the recycling bin?

OP posts:
Livpool · 07/04/2021 21:13

I give them to DH to put in the confidential waste bins in his office - used to throw them in mine til I wfh.

A shredder?

LittleBearPad · 07/04/2021 21:13

Junk mail doesn’t need to be shredded. Nor do credit card letters offering deals. If you’re really worried rip out the address bit and chuck in the bin. Put the rest in the recycling.

itwa · 07/04/2021 21:15

Bonfire!

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 07/04/2021 21:17

I have a shredder. It's very noisy but it does the job.

Original poster
JackieTheFart · 07/04/2021 21:17

@LittleBearPad I can’t be arsed cutting the address out of them all. If I could shred them in batches that’d be ok.

I might be a bit over cautious as my dad was a victim of identity theft years ago.

OP posts:
reluctantbrit · 07/04/2021 21:17

That was out 1st lockdown project, we went through tons of folders with 15-20 year old paperwork.

We bought a paper shredder, the box with letters and the shredder were in the dining room and if one of us had a couple of minutes we just put some pages through it. By the end of the week it was gone.

We got a Level 4 one, which is cutting it in tiny squares, one of the savest ones and the stuff ends in the normal paper recycling.

l2b2 · 07/04/2021 21:17

Burn them.

FizzyTarte · 07/04/2021 21:17

I tear it all up, mix and leave in hot water to soak (in the kitchen sink) then squeeze into a big ball and put in the recycling when dried out.

Original poster
JackieTheFart · 07/04/2021 21:17

Don’t have room for a bonfire.

If it’s a shredder can you recommend one? There’s so many.

OP posts:
Original poster
JackieTheFart · 07/04/2021 21:18

@FizzyTarte

I tear it all up, mix and leave in hot water to soak (in the kitchen sink) then squeeze into a big ball and put in the recycling when dried out.
I’m gonna do this. I can do that now and leave it overnight.
OP posts:
Camomila · 07/04/2021 21:18

I've got a shredder, it was only £29 online. I use it everyday wfh though.

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 07/04/2021 21:19

Sorry, shredder is upstairs I'm on sofa with dogs, wine and Casino Royale.

Can't be done.

TheChosenTwo · 07/04/2021 21:37

I just put stuff in the recycling bin and get on with my day!

PattyPan · 07/04/2021 21:46

I have a shredder (from Lidl!) for things where the whole document is confidential and one of these for going over small bits like addresses etc and then just put it in the recycling.

sanityisamyth · 07/04/2021 21:48

Remove staples and plastic windows from envelopes, shred everything and give to local stables for their horse bedding.

expectopelargonium · 07/04/2021 21:53

I bought our shredder from Tesco.

1678bfj7 · 07/04/2021 21:53

Shredder. Have to have one at home office for work stuff anyway. It's one of the higher security models (i.e. tiny pieces) but was still pretty cheap (

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