Unfortunately, these days we are all increasingly at risk of identity theft. We need to be vigilant about managing our personal information, so it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. This can be difficult when we’re constantly receiving this information in the mail. No one wants to hang onto every piece of paper that has personal information on it. So how do we manage the paper while also protecting ourselves?

Every week my husband and I receive a stack of mail with sensitive information in it: account numbers, insurance documents, financial statements, etc.

Here’s what we do to manage the deluge:

  1. Sort the mail: create a category for paperwork that contains sensitive information, but is unimportant

2. Stack these papers on top of your shredder 

3. Shred everything at once in 5 minutes at the end of the week

By shredding everything at one time, we save time during the week and also keep our identities safe from fraud. For even quicker processing, store your shredder in the space where you normally open and sort your mail.

Shredder Image from www.dreamstime.com