upPAPERPURGE

     Endangered Spaces
        ... restoring order to stuffed lives and living spaces

To Purge or Not To Purge – That Is the Question

Here are some questions to consider when deciding whether to keep a piece of paper:

• Does this piece of paper require any action?

One of the outgrowths of the computer age is that it is very easy to send lots of people the

same information - and unfortunately, most of them keep it -whether they need it or not. If

you don’t need it, don’t keep it!

• Is this paper recent enough to be useful?

The results of using outdated information can range from an inconvenience, such as an old

map, to a disaster, such as an outdated government regulation. Often it is better to keep

track of who has the information, rather than keeping the information itself.

• Would it be difficult for you to get this piece of paper again, or the information it

provides?

Is this the only place or form in which it exists? Often, when information is available in a

computer, on the Internet, or at another physical location, keeping a duplicate copy becomes

unnecessary clutter.

• Are there any tax or legal implications?

If this piece of paper is related to one of these issues, it is important to get good counsel on

how long you should keep specific information. But keep in mind, that more is not always

better. If you are audited, inconsistent records will appear sloppy at best and fraudulent at

worst.

• Can you identify a specific use for this piece of paper?

"Just in case" is not specific enough. If you can’t determine a specific use for the paper, then

you can probably safely toss it.

• What is the worst possible scenario if you toss this?

If you can live with your answer, toss or recycle it - and live happily - and less cluttered -

forever after!