With school well underway various letters, notes, and reports will be finding their way home with the kids. While many of these may seem like harmless papers, it’s important to be aware of the information on them if you intend to retain it for a while or even dispose of it out right. As horrible as it is to say, there are those out there who would try and use this information for their own ends, and to the detriment of your children. Proper handling and disposal of these records is critical if you wish to avoid these issues.
Holding on to them
If for whatever reason you want to hold onto your records than make sure you are storing them safely. We’d suggest finding a secure, out of the way spot to keep records. Leaving stacks of paper out in the open where anyone could take them is obviously not a great idea. Out of sight, out of mind is a great policy for secure files, if there’s no temptation present then the chances of something happening will be lessened.
Now the problem is where exactly they should be kept. Preferably you should choose something that has a lock on it. A good safe or even a safety deposit box is probably the best option for homeowners as many of us have access to these already. If you do not then maybe a decent lockable file cabinet or lockable desk drawer will do for you. If not these will at the very least need to be well hidden someplace no one will look, and in a place you’ll remember in case you need access down the road.
Should a lockable and/or secure option be truly unavailable to you, you may consider a professional option. Tri-State offers secure bins that are designed to give you a convenient and secure place to store paper documents.
Disposing of them
When the time comes to dispose of the documents, you need to do it through a secure means. Professional document shredding is the best and truly only option one should take for proper document disposal. While it may be tempting to go with a home office shredder for a cheaper option, this is in fact a far more risky option to be taking. These machines are not as reliable as they appear, being unable to handle a large amount of prolonged shredding due to the motor burning out. The shred pattern it creates as well is extremely unsecured, tending to be simple long strips that can be easily reassembled.
Professional shredding on the other hand uses industrial grade shredders that reduces paper into fine confetti. This makes reconstruction impossible and ensures your information is beyond the reach of those with malice intent. Beyond which is the fact that professional shredding is certified and compliant with state and federal safety regulations, ensuring the peace of mind for those using these services.
If you’re convinced and are ready for either a secure storage option, secure shredding, or both, reach out to Tri-State Shredding and let us know your needs. We’ll be able to help you out.
Call: 717-233-5606