Paper purging and organizing guide

Never lose important documents again—your checklist for an organized system

Step 1: Set up 3 paper sorting categories

Organize your paperwork by grouping it into Long-term, Short-term, and Discard categories.

Long-Term (Keep indefinitely)

• Legal and personal documents

  Birth certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, social security cards

• Tax records

  Keep for 10+ years from the filing date

• Home and property records

  Keep home purchase documents, receipts, and deeds as long as you own the property

• Education and military records

  Diplomas, transcripts, military service records

• Investment and insurance policies

  Hold until accounts are closed or policies canceled

• Warranties and service contracts

  Retain until warranties expire or you sell the items

• Vehicle titles

  Keep until the vehicle is sold

• Wills and estate documents

  Retain latest versions until they’re updated

Short-term (keep temporarily)