This is one of my more random posts, but...
I have a broken ironing board. I also have a small city trash bin that saves me some money. This ironing board won't fit into the bin.
I also hate the idea of trashing a hunk of metal. So I was quite happy to hear today that Goodwill will take most broken items for recycling. Ironing boards, TVs, etc. Just not baby stuff, like cribs. I read that thrift stores recycle a large amount of their donations, including clothing, but I always heard it was an insult to give them items that belong in the trash. I guess times have changed and it's okay to bring in my broken ironing board. So green and so convenient.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Saturday, February 8, 2014
How Long to Keep Papers...and Ghosts of Deeds Past
Today I helped a friend pack some boxes for a move, and as we stood around chatting with his coworker, how long to keep paperwork came up. I know I've shared that I found insurance bills from the 1950s in the garage, so I feel strongly about this topic. Not that I am perfect myself, but letting things go 50+ years is a way to invite unkind sentiments from your surviving family.
When you google "how long to keep papers," a government site comes up--Managing Household Records. It's not the most exciting topic, but as I told friends today, when it comes to taxes, you just need your papers from 7 years ago and up...and with other stuff, you can chuck it annually or sooner or, if it's incredibly important (will, deed, etc.), you should check a guide to decide how long you should keep it.
Deeds are another funny topic to me--I found deeds from the 1930s and earlier! My relatives just never thought to dispose of them, maybe rightly so--as long as they still owned the property, they needed to keep the deed. (Also funny how never letting go of papers seems to be inherited! Martha Stewarts we ain't.) While it's been interesting to see where people lived, I felt good parting with the "more recent" deeds of my grandparents, ranging from the 1960s and up. Occasionally I thought, gee, maybe I should keep these as a historical record of where they lived! It could be interesting, like when you watch those genealogy TV shows like NBC's Who Do you Think You Are? or Finding Your Roots on PBS. When those guests find out what Great-Grandfather did for a living and where he lived, it's super interesting and surprising. (And yes, the U.S. Census provides great information.) But, I realized when it comes to my storing old deeds and other papers in a shoebox under my bed...that's more history than I need to keep in my space and haul around. (And while I don't totally believe in feng shui, apparently keeping stuff under the bed is bad for chi. And for your sleep.) Perhaps I would never make a great guest on one of those TV shows--I know too much and it wouldn't be very exciting or suspenseful! Maybe a few hundred years back would get good.
Yes, I kept a few of my great-grandfather's typesetters' union membership cards--and I confess I learned about a relative I knew nothing about via her death certificate and some deeds. Thank you for cluttering, relatives--it has been interesting to learn about my great-great-aunt who owned a cafe near the coast. But they could have seriously pared it down. It took a lot of energy to sort the interesting from the expendable. So yes, save a few items and tidbits worthy of historical preservation. But keeping all 10+ union membership cards and every deed this family ever signed? No. Not worth it. Not with ancestry.com and all the other folks out there who have done research now available online. My grandmother herself was a genealogy nut and did some great research considering there was no Internet--her info often matches what I find online. But unless we lose the Internet forever, it's safe to let go of some of her notes and the various papers mentioned--it's time to get busy living! What a lovely relief.
When you google "how long to keep papers," a government site comes up--Managing Household Records. It's not the most exciting topic, but as I told friends today, when it comes to taxes, you just need your papers from 7 years ago and up...and with other stuff, you can chuck it annually or sooner or, if it's incredibly important (will, deed, etc.), you should check a guide to decide how long you should keep it.
Deeds are another funny topic to me--I found deeds from the 1930s and earlier! My relatives just never thought to dispose of them, maybe rightly so--as long as they still owned the property, they needed to keep the deed. (Also funny how never letting go of papers seems to be inherited! Martha Stewarts we ain't.) While it's been interesting to see where people lived, I felt good parting with the "more recent" deeds of my grandparents, ranging from the 1960s and up. Occasionally I thought, gee, maybe I should keep these as a historical record of where they lived! It could be interesting, like when you watch those genealogy TV shows like NBC's Who Do you Think You Are? or Finding Your Roots on PBS. When those guests find out what Great-Grandfather did for a living and where he lived, it's super interesting and surprising. (And yes, the U.S. Census provides great information.) But, I realized when it comes to my storing old deeds and other papers in a shoebox under my bed...that's more history than I need to keep in my space and haul around. (And while I don't totally believe in feng shui, apparently keeping stuff under the bed is bad for chi. And for your sleep.) Perhaps I would never make a great guest on one of those TV shows--I know too much and it wouldn't be very exciting or suspenseful! Maybe a few hundred years back would get good.
Yes, I kept a few of my great-grandfather's typesetters' union membership cards--and I confess I learned about a relative I knew nothing about via her death certificate and some deeds. Thank you for cluttering, relatives--it has been interesting to learn about my great-great-aunt who owned a cafe near the coast. But they could have seriously pared it down. It took a lot of energy to sort the interesting from the expendable. So yes, save a few items and tidbits worthy of historical preservation. But keeping all 10+ union membership cards and every deed this family ever signed? No. Not worth it. Not with ancestry.com and all the other folks out there who have done research now available online. My grandmother herself was a genealogy nut and did some great research considering there was no Internet--her info often matches what I find online. But unless we lose the Internet forever, it's safe to let go of some of her notes and the various papers mentioned--it's time to get busy living! What a lovely relief.
Next free shred day is in March
More clutter-busting of papers...
I can't find any info on a City of Austin free shred day for spring, so right now all I can find is another free Univ. Fed. Credit Union Shred Day. I keep forgetting to go or getting rained out!
| Date: | March 15, 2014 | ||
| Time: | 10:00 AM | ||
| Duration: | 4 hours or until the truck is full | ||
| Location: |
UFCU N Guadalupe Financial Center 4611 Guadalupe St Austin, TX 78751 |
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