When you setting up your office, don't forget one very important tool...Your shredder.
Why is a shredder so important?
Identity Theft.
With identity theft on the rise, you would be wise to keep a shredder within reach of your work area. Shred any important documents containing important information that you do not need while your working.
Most home offices will find that a good paper shredder that you can find at an office supply store or a discount store, will be sufficient for you needs. When purchasing one, you may want to consider that inexpensive shredders will take more time to use since they will only handle a couple of sheets at a time. They may not shred the information as well and rarely last a long time before you need a replacement.
If you have an excessive amount of paper to shred, you may want to find a reputable company to handle you needs. Before you hire a company, make sure the security is tight.
Don't forget about CD's, or DVD's that you no longer need or want. They may need to be destroyed if they have important information as well. Find a shredder that can handle them too.
Should You Keep It
When handling any paperwork, you will need to decide if it is worth keeping. Do you have a duplicate of the information somewhere else? Will you even need it again? Are there some pages that you could get ride of? If it is something you want to look at later, do you already have a lot of similar articles, or books?
Anything pertaining to your financial record keeping should be saved. Including your tax returns and supporting documents for at least 7 years. Checks, statements, invoices, receipts, etc. There are certain industries that will need to keep records longer, so you might want to check with your accountant if you not sure.
Then at the end of the 7 years, you could take a couple of minutes each day to shred a few pieces or schedule 30 minutes per week.
It can be a tedious chore, but you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you're protecting yourself and your valuable customers.
For additional ideas and solutions for you or your business, visit http://www.moms-work-from-home-tips.com.
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