Do Not Fold, Spindle or Mutilate, Shred Instead

Baby boomers may remember the beginning of that phrase from the 1960s, as a reference to handling documents the correct way or they may get rejected by the computers.  It also had a meaning in that the paperwork was more important than the person, sometimes signified as a message on a tee shirt. 

Resident Clearing out Old Paper Records

Even though downloads and emails are replacing tons of paperwork and personal documents, we can still run into trouble when we leave too much of a paper trail behind us.  To prevent private papers from getting into the wrong hands, shredding companies are available to destroy private papers that have outlived their usefulness.   

Colorado East Bank & Trust had a free shredding day Saturday, August 18 at the South Main Street branch in Lamar.  Residents could have their personal papers shredded and recycled by a private firm brought in from Pueblo.  Folks who took advantage of the periodic service could also get a free hotdog off the grill, courtesy of George Gotto. 

The ‘Other George’, Working His Grill

Company representatives from Mobile Record Shredders said a half ton bale of shredded papers was the equivalent to nine trees and would save an estimated 2,000 kilowatts of electricity and 3,500 gallons of water.   

The next step in recycling deals with what to throw and what documents to keep.  Here are some recommendations: 

                Keep                                                         Throw 

Birth Certificates                                Warranties/manuals of discarded items

Deeds to Property                             Old Credit Card Receipts for small purchases

Divorce/Wedding Documents      Cancelled checks after six years

Military Records                                 Mortgage Records, 3 years after final payments

Paid Off Loans                                     Bank Statements after six years

Current financial statements        Insurance papers, 4 years after expiration

Adoption/Custody Papers,             Contracts, 7 years after expiration

Property Sale Tax Forms                 W-2s or 1099s, Receipts after 6 years

Family Health

Vaccination records

Documentation Lists for Survivors