At CI Information Management, we provide our community with trusted document shredding services to help individuals and businesses like yours protect their sensitive information. Today, we will guide you through the basics of document storage, covering what to keep, what to shred, and best practices for document security.
Why Document Shredding Matters
Did you know that over 9 million Americans experience identity theft every year? Unfortunately, many of these cases are related to sensitive documents being accessed without the owner’s even realizing.
All it takes is to throw a bank statement in the trash to reveal account numbers or to discard a pre-approved credit card only to end up being filled out and fraudulently activated.
By actively document shredding sensitive information, you prevent criminals from gaining access to personal information, stopping identity theft before it can start.
On top of that, document shredding benefits you by reducing clutter. Plus, if you are in business, document shredding will ensure critical privacy for your clients while keeping you compliant with privacy laws.
What Can You Shred?
As you can see, taking care to shred sensitive information is vital to protect yourself and your family’s personal and financial security. With that in mind, here is a list of what you should shred rather than throw away.
- Documents Containing Personal Information: Old bills, bank statements, medical records, tax documents, and prescription labels.
- Financial Documents: Expired credit or debit cards, paid-off loan paperwork, and canceled checks.
- Junk Mail with Sensitive Information: Pre-approved credit offers or any mail with personal details.
- Beyond Paper: CDs, DVDs, hard drives that could house sensitive information or active passwords.
How Long Should You Store Documents?
When it comes to document shredding, certain items should be kept for at least a year, some for seven years, and some forever! Knowing what to keep and when to shred can help you create an organized and secure system for storing your documents. For quick reference, here is your document shredding timeline:
Keep for One Year: Utility bills, monthly bank or credit card statements, and pay stubs.
Keep for Seven Years: Tax returns, proof of deductions, receipts, canceled checks, and 1099 forms.
Keep Permanently: Birth certificates, Social Security cards, passports, marriage or divorce records, property deeds, and investment records.
The Best Shredding Solution for You
At CI Information Management, we understand that shredding your documents is a time-consuming, tedious process that isn’t very efficient. If you gather more than a banker box’s worth of paper to shred each month, then it is time to ditch the home shredder. Here are a variety of business and residential document shredding options you can take advantage of:
One Time Purge Shredding: Ideal for homes or businesses that have accumulated a lot of paper to be shredded, this purge service offers a secure solution for disposing of large volumes of confidential information.
Recurring, On-Site Shredding: If your home or business continually produces a large amount of confidential information, our regular on-site shredding service allows you to dispose of it in a consistent, secure manner.
Local Drop Off Shredding: Rather than having us come to you, you can drop off your confidential papers at our secure facility in Kennewick, Monday through Friday between 8:00 – 4:00, for immediate shredding.
Residential Shred Bag: Ideal for remote workers or families, our Seal n’ Shred Bag is a more secure alternative to in-home shredders. All you do is pre-pay for your Shred Bag, which will be mailed to your preferred address. Then, you can fill it up with 30 lbs of sensitive documents, seal it, and schedule a pickup!
If none of these options appeal to you, you can always take advantage of one of our local community shred events or even host your own!
CI Information Management – Document Shredding You Can Trust
At CI Information Management, we pride ourselves on supplying our customers with a secure document shredding service they can trust. Our heavy-duty shredding machines use a cross-cut method, dicing your documents into far smaller pieces than traditional office shredders can imagine. Essentially, we turn your documents into pieces of paper smaller than confetti!
We will provide you with a Certificate of Destruction to prove our services. This certification verifies that your documents and media have been securely destroyed in compliance with privacy laws and regulations.
Then, we take the paper and recycling into our green initiatives. In 2024 alone, we recycled 4,203,339 pounds of paper! If you’re curious how that translates to water, electricity, trees, oil, and landfill space saved as well as the greenhouse gases avoided, check out our Green Impact!
Ready to start shredding? Click HERE to request a free quote today!
