Help!!! How to file household paperwork, what to keep, etc

[DisorganisedDelia]

I’m not sure this is the best topic to ask this in (if not please suggest the right one!), but can anyone recommend a website or similar that would give detailed advice on filing household / personal paperwork? For example, how far back to keep certain things? How long do you keep annual tax summaries? How much pension correspondence do you keep? I’m drowning under paper coz I never know what to keep and what to bin, so I keep it all!

Photograph / scan them all, except ones where it’s clear you need the original

then safely dispose of the lot.

for the rest, have a secure filing box so you can easily retrieve if needed.

I hate this sort of admin and I am pleased it’s mostly online now. I would check what you can access online and shred / bin the rest. Good advice on photographing things you need too.

I have a folder where I keep pension, employer, medical, wills, tax returns, utilities, banking and big purchase receipts. I have a clear out every few years (which I did yesterday as it goes!) I keep far less utility info now as it’s online. I keep all annual pension statements. I try to keep a list of closed bank/savings accounts but I’ve never needed it. I keep all employer related correspondence as you never know!

good idea about the photography from @WingBingo

Thanks @LiftyLiftand @WingBingo. The thing is I don’t know what I need a record of, whether photographically or otherwise (if I photographed everything I have I’d be here clicking away til Christmas!). I’m sure I’m not the only person with this difficulty so I assumed there’d be websites that give advice on it. But can’t find any!

What are you keeping that’s not available online though??

all i keep really is birth certificates, marriage certificate, some paperwork that came with my house (leasehold information etc)

I literally have 1 letter with my pension details on it (I moved all previous pensions into the current one I have now so only one provider) I don’t need any more paperwork as I know the log in details for it and it’s all online. I don’t even keep the annual statement- I can print one if I need.

im paperless with my bank so don’t receive anything and same with credit cards it’s all online.

even payslips are online and p60s - I do download my payslips to my computer in case I ever leave though and lose access to them as they are saved on a work app.

I don’t even keep letters from mortgage company as if I log into my account online then all the information is there

I can’t really think of anything that’s not available or easily replaced?

Good question, what are you keeping that’s not online?

All bills, banking, council tax etc are all available as an online service.

Also what are you keeping that is online. If you are, they can go.

Thanks @Fupoffyagrasshole - tax stuff - both paye and self assessed, PIP for Family members, Motability stuff, redundancy paperwork from a while ago, pensions…

I don’t like having only online versions of certain things as I find it more stressful than having a paper version (just the way I process information). So I will keep certain things on paper (not banking or utilities etc).

For example, pensions paperwork - I want to have paper copies of what I need but just finding it hard to work out what is necessary/useful.

If you do feel the need to keep it all, have a good file storage system.

sounds like you would simply prefer paper copies. If so, keep it organised.

General rule of thumb for financial related stuff is six years from the end of the financial year they relate to.

Pension agreements / shares / mortgage / rental / loan documentation / life insurance / car finance agreements would be six years from the end of the financial year in which they ended or were sold.

Utilities (energy, phone, council tax, tv licence) I used to keep for three years when I had paper copies.

Bank / credit card / utilities / council tax/ tv licence / insurance / pension statements should all be available online (inlcuidng the history).

Check all the online accounts to see what history they hold and download it to file electronically (hard drive with cloud backup)

Get into the habit of doing it regularly - either every couple of months or when you get an email saying the new statement or bill is available.

Sign up for paperless billing so they stop sending stuff through the post.

You then only need to keep anything paperwise that you haven't been able to download electronically for the relevant timescales as above. Shred everything else

I tend to keep the original paper copies of things like life insurance/ mortgage / car finance agreements etc even if they are available online / electronically.

@DisorganisedDelia - having just seen your update about preferring paper for some things.

It is unlikely you will need to refer to most things very often. if you download the online copies and file them electronically, you can always print something off if you need it or there is usually the option to request a hard copy from the provider.

For things like benefits I would just keep the paper copy of the original awards letter.

Thanks @WingBingo no I don’t want to keep it all, that’s why I posted! 😊 My question was about what is important to keep (whether on paper, photographed, or accessible online). But I think I might have found a website that goes over that.

Thanks @BloominNorathats so helpful!!!

Ring binder with separators. New statement good in the back, old one gets ripped out the front.

Paper records are so useful when sorting out someone's estate after death (or when unable to themselves). Not so helpful in a house fire though, so try to have both.

I scan them into my phone then email them to myself and put them in a folder

For pensions, savings accouts and shares I just keep the latest in a file.
Bank and credit cards and mortgage I keep one piece of paper showing company and account number (but everything else is on line).
No benefits but I would say keep the letter showing the award.
Birth, death, marriage and divorce- keep originals.
Tax - nothing as all on line. Payslips all electronic. House bills just online.
I have a file which I separated everything into it's own category.
I use a secrets vault to access everything on line.