Sorting Through Files Before Moving
- Written by News Company
One universal truth about piles of paperwork—they evolve into mountains of the stuff over the years. When it’s time to move, you wonder, ‘Which of these documents do I need to keep’? Which ones can I toss? Here are some tips from Zoom Removals, experienced furniture removalists in Sydney, to help you sort through your mountains—and turn them into molehills once again.
First, Find the Most Important Documents
Medical records, birth and adoption certificates, passports and legal documents, insurance policies, tax records, documentation for your valuables, and investment records are all files you need to keep. To better organise them for the move, create a three-ring binder for each person in your family and one for each pet.
Put important medical and veterinary records, birth certificates for your two-legged family members, registration papers for your four-legged ones, insurance policies, wills, advance directives, and other important papers into each file. Secure them with a clear plastic sleeve and organise them by type so you can find them quickly in case of an emergency.
Keep your passport and driver’s licences on your person in a secure location. If you plan to fly to your new home, never leave your passport in your carry-on. If a plane hasn’t enough room in their carry-on storage bins, you might have to check them before you board. Don’t take chances. Keep your personal IDs and credit cards by your side.
Next, Locate Owners’ Manuals and Receipts for Appliances You Plan to Keep
If you’re like most people, you still have the paperwork for your fridge—three fridges ago, that is. Get rid of the paperwork for the appliances you’ve tossed out long ago. If you plan to sell or donate some of your old appliances, tape the owner’s manual for each to the appliance. Don’t leave it in your file boxes.
Dedicate a moving box to transport all the owners’ manuals for your appliances that will go with you to your new home. Label it well. Ask the furniture removalists to load the box near the back of the truck so you can find it easily when you arrive. You may need these when you install your appliances in your new home.
Find, Label, and Pack Away Your Tax Records—Five Years’ Worth
According to the ATO, you only need to keep five years’ worth of records. Keep those—and pitch the rest. Shred any documents that contain sensitive information, though, so your financial information doesn’t get into the wrong hands.
How about Those Sentimental Papers Clogging up My Files?
Let’s face it. You don’t need every dinosaur drawing Junior ever drew. Keep a few and ditch the rest. If you can’t bear to get rid of the rest, scan them into your computer and store them on the hard drive—or even in the cloud.
You don’t need to keep all the medical records on your late cat Fluffy. Keep a few pictures and ditch the rest of the paperwork. If your pets were show animals and had progeny, then scan their competition records and store them digitally. Otherwise, keep only the most meaningful mementoes of your pets who have passed on.
Finally, Make Backup Copies of the Documents You Put into Digital Storage
With important information, backup copies are essential. Make sure you have at least one backup copy of all your important digitally stored documents before you move. That way, you’ll know your data is protected against loss.
After you’ve sorted through all your files, you’ll have considerably fewer boxes than you would have if you had waited until you arrived at your new home to clean out the clutter. Fewer boxes, a better deal with your removalists. More money to spend on your new home.
