How many standard filing cabinet drawers of life admin paperwork do you have?

[notnowmarmaduke]

I had 5. I have spent the day sorting and shredding and have got it down to 4 and a bit. That still seems a lot.

Insurance documents, receipts, instruction booklets, certificates of training, exam results, bank statements (only 6 months worth) loan agreements, work contracts. A few (very few) sentimental drawings and cards, payslips, a few records from years ago I am requited to keep for legal reasons. And so on and so on and so on.

I was hoping to get it down to about 2 or 3 and reclaim some space, but that has not happened.

What do you have? What should an adult have?

In the poll, all drawers are standard filing cabinet size.

Well I’m sure DFS would be round for their cash if you phoned them.

ISA’s are just part of banking. Dont have any paperwork, they’re websavers.

You’d just contact Premium Bonds etc. l lived through it 11 years ago when all our paperwork was burnt. I don’t remember any issues at all. All resolved really quickly and easily, people were very helpful.

I mean why is everything paper free now if it causes the problems you’re speaking about?

If you were to die, the probable solicitor would have instant access to every single thing with your name in. When my dm died, there were all sorts of things l had no idea about that the solicitor found. And this was 18 years ago. They found it all within 1 week of her death. If not sooner.

Errr, barely anything. Like one plastic wallet with the birth certificates in. I keep my passports in our travel wallet for ease. There’s a large envelope somewhere with the deeds to the house (I think 😂) and the rest is online.

Literally never need to provide paperwork so it’s never proved an issue 🤷 DH and I share a bank account, my DM knows everything about our finances and I’m sure they could piece the rest together from direct debits for insurances and the rest

I guess so. I just like it all physical and in your face. It isn't contacting organisations that's the problem, it is the knowing which organisations need contacting. Eg that company you built up 4 years pension with 20 years ago. How would someone know to ask them?

Oh.... I forgot about those. I have four huggies nappy boxes in the attic but tbf they are full of first ever drawings from nursery, first Christmas cards, congratulations on your new baby... and their first ever pair of shoes and babygro 😂 Surely OP didn't mean those??!?

Because in my one concertina file is a single document that tells them all of that.

One shoebox size box, I don't keep anything that's unnecessary.

If you were to die the solicitor would find it.

If your Dh disappeared everything is held for 7 years.

If your Dh was in a coma you’d apply for access. Again this is a legal thing and the solicitor would find it all

We just have one of those cardboard wallet type folders with everything in.

I think my birth certificate and v5 are in a drawer... somewhere. Mortgage statement on the coffee table
I don't really keep anything TBH. No DC, no ISA, shares etc

It would make far more sense to move you’re pensions into one place.

Two A4 ring binders. Feeling very efficient.

A small cardboard box - about a third the size of an archive box OP.

Now that is, what I consider to be, a sensible answer!

One box file of husbands medical stuff and one expanding file for everything else.

Couple of bits of paper in a drawer with my passport and birth certificate. I can access everything I need regarding insurances, pension, banking etc online, most documents are online these days.

1 drawer house . 1 work
I only keep 12m worth of things. Never a need to keep more. Most is online anyway ie electricity/gas/water

I dont know why I have so much stuff! some I have to keep for legal reasons (half a drawer), and lots of medical paperwork (1 drawer)too, but apart from that, I don't know why I seem to have so much more than anyone else....

wow! I am so envious!

Me too! And I keep eyeing it up and thinking I could slimline it!

Whilst my stuff isn't all online, page 1 of the ring binder is a simple list of all my bank accounts, pensions, premium bonds and utility providers and even social media accounts to be shut down.

None, I have a cardboard folder and way too much in my brain alone

Yes, Dropbox folder with relevant information in is shared with our children.

I don't have any filing cabinets, I have folders and some lever arch files.

Having sorted my late parent's affairs, I have quite a bit of their old paperwork that I have to keep. Probably three ever arch files.

I have a disabled family member whose affairs (and everything, really) I deal with. Over 30 years worth. Two lever arch files.

My own bits and bobs, including the deeds to my house, copy of my will etc - maybe four folders and a lever arch file?

I live alone, there's nobody who will know anything when I die!

I'm not gonna answer how many you should have because really, you do you!

However my DH and I have a box file each, then we have one for the shared family stuff. Id say they could all be amalgamated and still not actually fill a file as so much is digital these days. But ATM that's the system!!

The only bit of paper that gets delivered to the house is an electric bill, which gets binned once it's paid. Everything else is online, and I don't need to keep receipts or instruction books.
Birth certificate is in a cupboard somewhere.