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Document storage is very important. Documents such as your tax returns can prove to be rather tempting to a more sophisticated burglar – in some instances almost as tempting as large television or other electronics.
Keep These Documents in a Safe Place
Tax Returns
It is time to reassess your important documents. Your tax returns should be at the top of the list and should be in the safe–keeping of your bookkeeper or accountant, for instance. Make copies of all of these important documents and file them on your computer and in the cloud
Passport
Ensure your passport is always current – you never know when you might need this vital document at a moment’s notice. Make a couple of copies, and keep one on your PC, another in your possession under lock and key and a third copy with a close friend or relative. Your important documents should be locked in a safe at home alongside all your other important documents.
Your Will
Update you will every couple of years. Keep one copy with your attorney, another in your lock-up safe at home and keep a copy with your bank or a close relative or friend. Another place to keep your will would be a safety deposit box that you can hire from your bank
Your Birth Certificate
Other important documents that you should keep under lock and key in the home include your birth certificate and those of any children you might have. This is vital for university and school applications and funeral homes should someone in the family die. Keep copies of all-important documents and lock these up in your safety deposit box at your bank
Why a Self-Storage Unit Makes Sense
Once you have safely locked up the above-mentioned documents, any files, photo albums and other documents that clog up your space with other items that are of sentimental value that need a home and a place of safe-keeping would be better off being stored under lock and key in a self-storage unit. Be sure to place these in plastic containers that cannot get damaged should any damp occur.
Storing documents off the ground is always a good idea.
Use plastic sleeves to protect your documents from sunlight, wear and tear or from any accidental damage. Place all your documents into plastic sleeves before filing these in files and boxes. Plastic containers are the best type to use. Put a single document per sleeve
Shred your receipts, credit card slips and any other papers at least once a month to keep clutter to a minimum and to keep abreast of your paperwork. Don’t throw important papers in the bin. Unscrupulous thieves could access sensitive information – always shred or tear these
Your Self Storage Unit Should
- Have good security
- Have good lighting at night
- Must be secure and have fencing around the perimeter
Buy the best lock your money can buy – disc locks are a good investment and cannot be cut with cutters. For anything else that is sensitive, a good filing cabinet or locked safe inside your unit is a great idea.
For self-storage, find one that is easy to access should the need arise. Get smart when packing your storage unit. Ensure items that need ease of access are placed right in the front of your container and leave sufficient space to ensure you have access. Be sure to label your boxes and files carefully and keep a record of these in two places – one on your PC and another somewhere safe in your home.
