I don't know why I hate it so much. The tedium? The noise? The fact that I keep my shredder in a plastic bag in the icky basement and so whenever I use it it's a big huge gigantic deal (hmm -- I'm guessing it's the last one)?
I just learned that credit card statements can be shredded about a year -- or less -- after you get them (I have been keeping them for YEARS. Decades!). I should switch to paperless but, to be honest, I'm afraid I'll forget to pay them if they don't physically arrive in my mailbox and sit on my counter top for a few days. Everything else is electronic for me these days; credit cards.....not yet.
I have pay stubs from the 90's. Phone bills from numbers that I no longer have. Post Office receipts from packages mailed 10 years ago. What scares me the most is that I think I have MOVED some of these pounds of paper from house to house....state to state! Gack. Time to shred.
I think I might be brave and shred some more stuff while the shredder is out and ready for service. Then I'll go retrieve my scaredy-cat from where she's hiding under the bed.
Amy, having a good-quality shredder - one that isn't so noisy, doesn't jam, and handles a fair number of sheets at once - might make a difference.
ReplyDeleteOr go another route, and take the stuff to a shredding service - that can be really useful when you've got a lot of old stuff to go through. Many Office Depot and Staples stores have a shredding service, as do many UPS Stores.
I've never shredded anything since I'm too poor to afford a shredder. I tear things up before I recycle them. Credit card companies will send you an email reminder before your bill is due. Get rid of the paper reminder.
ReplyDeleteJeri -- good ideas! If I could shred more at once it wouldn't be as onerous, either. Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteAntigold -- thanks for stopping by! These days I do hand-tear mail as it comes in (anything with identifying info, that is). Someone once gave me some shredding "scissors" that cut things into shreds but they were too hard to use (needed super-human strength to close them). Would have been useful, though!
ReplyDeleteJeri is right! A good-quality shredder can do the trick! Having one at home can help you dispose of unnecessary papers and documents. It can also help prevent data and identity theft, especially if you have a habit of disposing your bills properly.
ReplyDelete