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Everyone has files they want to destroy, whether paper or electronic. Destroying files comes easy to some and harder to others. We can feel anxiety associated with the feeling of losing something or not being able to recall it because it has been destroyed or deleted. You can keep everything, but they have names for folks like that.

The first step down this road is to identify what you have and then break it into pieces, like battles in a war. Win a few small battles and your confidence begins to grow. Once you identify all your files, then determine the oldest and the ones you know are well past any retention period. Take the big step and destroy or delete them; this is low hanging fruit. Feel better? You should.

The second step is to review the remainder of your holdings and determine what is past any generally accepted or required retention period, i.e., seven years for financial files, ten years for client files, etc. Get them approved for destruction, if needed, and destroy them. A good rule of thumb is to keep track of what you destroy by adding another column to your file inventory, indicating the date of destruction.

The third step is to review and update your retention policy and see what else can be destroyed or deleted. From there, you can identify other files for destruction and be current with your records.

While you go through this process, there are a few considerations:

  • Approval – are you the approval authority or do you have to get sign off?
  • Time – this process takes time so lay out a plan and stick with it.
  • Cost – costs like shredding or having your off-site vendor destroy files can be a large expense.
  • Savings – you will realize considerable space and cost savings by not retaining unneeded files.
  • Peace of mind – not having the risk and expense hanging over your head anymore.
  • Paper and electronic – if you destroy the paper, then destroy the electronic version.
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If you need assistance identifying files to be destroyed, there are professional records consulting people that do this for a living and will make your life that much easier. Start now.

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