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: Keep birth/death certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, Social Security cards, and passports in a secure fire-safe bag or safe.

: Maintenance of current medical records for each family member is helpful for quick reference. What to Shred or Toss

You really don't need as much as you think. Most experts, including those from Reddit's decluttering community , agree that your essential paper footprint for a standard household should be less than an inch thick.

A lot of paper enters our homes only to become "delayed decisions". To stop the piles from growing, immediately toss or shred:

: Official ownership documents like titles, deeds, and wills.

: Keep 7 years of tax returns. For most regular filers, this doesn't need to include every single receipt.

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: Keep birth/death certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, Social Security cards, and passports in a secure fire-safe bag or safe.

: Maintenance of current medical records for each family member is helpful for quick reference. What to Shred or Toss Don't Leave Home

You really don't need as much as you think. Most experts, including those from Reddit's decluttering community , agree that your essential paper footprint for a standard household should be less than an inch thick. : Keep 7 years of tax returns

A lot of paper enters our homes only to become "delayed decisions". To stop the piles from growing, immediately toss or shred: including those from Reddit's decluttering community

: Official ownership documents like titles, deeds, and wills.

: Keep 7 years of tax returns. For most regular filers, this doesn't need to include every single receipt.