Paperwork - how long to keep?

[starrychime]

Just trying to do a BIG clearout and have papers going back years and years. Just read on MSE that some folk recommend 2 decades to keep stuff - surely that can't be the norm? For how long would you keep the following?
Wage slips
Phone and leccy bills or statements
Council tax receipts (pre Direct debit days)
P60
Bank statements
Tax credit award notices
Credit card statements

TV licence receipts

Really would love to get shredding tonight but don't want to do anything I'll regret.

Oh, and I found some books of 1st class stamps that must be 3 or 4 years old - can I still use them? Remember the ones that had fruit on and came with eyes and stuff to make faces - I have some of those as well as ordinary ones and it goes against the grain to chuck them out!

I clicked on your thread will glee starry, in the hope that I might get motivated to start the mighty shred - only to find no-one's answered yet, so...

BUMP!

This is what I keep:

Wage slips - 1 year

Phone bills - 6 months max

Leccy/gas bills - at least a year (that way when you 'go compare' - you've got a full picture of your consumption)

Council tax - 1 year (if you didnt pay - they'd have chased you up THAT year)

P60 - at least 5 years

Tax credits - 1 year

TV licence - 1 year (see council tax note)

all others no more than 6 months (assuming you check them monthly anyway - and tbh if it was URGENT (very unlikley) you can get get copies)

Above is only my opinion - but I did think it through before I decided what to keep for how long.

Thanks Tobago. That's a good start. I have carrier bags with bank statements, etc going back 10 years and longer in the attic (wnich could be a lovely room)

OP - I'm probably worse than you. I'm looking forward to getting a life after I've got rid of what's fast becoming a fire hazard!

I have made a start since my OP - one carrier bag so far each for filing, shredding and chucking out Finding all sorts of stuff like certificate for a night class I'd forgotton I did and all my antenatal stuff from 7 years ago!! Wonder if I could shred later with feet up on couch, laptop on lap, shredder by my side and MN while shredding - would quite like to keep all my fingers though!

Well done starry, and you've given me the kick up the arse I need!

I'm a great believer in carrier bags (and collapsable boxes, £3 from asda)

I admire your multi-tasking abilities. So far tonight all I've done is mn and sort some washing but there's always tomorrow!

My job has taught me to keep 6 years plus the current year (am an accountant) but I actually only do this with some things, here's my strategy;

P60 keep all of them from way back, I like to look back and it's only 1 bit of paper per year!

Wage slips, just current year as once P60 is handed out you don't really need the payslips

Bank statements, don't keep any as bank online

Elec/Gas/Council tax/TV licence and all house hold bills, only keep max 2 years and only for comparison really

Car ins/tax, only current stuff

I can't think of any other bills ATM but I used to keep everything from the year dot (well not that much as i'm only 32 but kept too much. I spoke to my older and wiser manager and asked him what he kept and he advised as above. Most places are able to give you back dated info if you need it anyway.

Mind you having said that I really ought to sort my filing out as I have lovely neat files but everything is shoved in carrier bags

Eddas, carrier bags are good! And thanks

Good luck starry - be ruthless!