Issue 36: Forget pumpkin spice, fall is for paper shredding

I’m officially addicted …

To community shredding events that is. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good cup of coffee and I’ll even drink a pumpkin spice something or other. But a non-caffeinated way to get me up and about on a Saturday morning is a good old fashioned paper purge. There’s something uniquely freeing about seeing boxes of old statements, bills, tax returns, etc. getting diced up into confetti. Ok, so maybe ground coffee beans have a leg up when it comes to brewed beverages, but if you really want to add pep to your step, try purging two or three boxes of paper clutter while freeing up square footage in your home.

-John

Moving Forward 485: Decluttering series: purging paper

Back on episode 445, I had barely begun scratching the surface in tackling approximately 40+ bankers boxes of documents accumulated over many years. I’m happy to report 40 episodes later, that I have cut down that ginormous proverbial (and once literal) tree.

Before I get to the how, let’s start at the beginning. I decided to dive into paper clutter back in February as it seemed like a good indoor, winter purging activity. I quickly discovered that it was not. As I covered on episode 445 and issue 18, shredding one banker’s box with my dinky office shredder took over two hours, including many paper cuts, countless shredder jams; resulting in three lawn bags of confetti. By month’s end, I had broken two shredders, and had only managed to get through a pitiful two and a half boxes.

As I was ready to give up, I got an email from the Better Business Bureau about an upcoming free community shred day. I attended and had a great weight lifted from my shoulders with this major aha 💡 moment.

Today, I’m happy to report that after attending close to a dozen different community shredding events over this past spring and summer, I have managed to purge all of the old files that I no longer needed.

As I cover on this week’s episode, paper clutter is doubly complex as you can’t simply toss it into a recycle bin due to the information that’s contained within. To that end, personal shredders aren’t the best way to dispose of large piles of sensitive documents. They’re inefficient, prone to jams, and produce vast amounts of dust and paper waste. It’s like cleaning up a party’s aftermess but without the party. Moreover, personal shredders often don’t do a great job of cutting documents thoroughly as pages can stick together and pass through the blades intact. Worse, many older models produce long “spaghetti” cuts, leaving your information vulnerable to patient identity thieves that will actually take the time to piece them back together.

Give yourself peace of mind by shredding those documents into the smallest pieces possible via the most efficient process. Find a community shred event near you so that not even the Penguin will be able to put those documents back together again.

Catch this week’s episode on Spotify.

Moving Forward is also available on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart, CastBox, Pocket Casts, Spotify for Podcasters (formerly Anchor), and Audible.

Hacks

Document management and purging

Upcoming shred events

If you’re in the Baltimore County (Maryland) area, the Baltimore County Public Library (BPCL) will be holding its last community shred event of the season at its Perry Hall branch tomorrow (Saturday, Nov. 2nd) from 10 am - 12 pm. Details available here.

If you’re in Montgomery County (Maryland), check out Clean Cut Shredding in Rockville, where you can drop off documents for free onsite shredding.

Nationwide, check the BBB website for upcoming community shred days.

You can also do a web search for free community shred events in your local area. Many are hosted by libraries, county agencies, condo associations, banks and small businesses.

Shred day prep

1. Remove all binder clips beforehand: Although not required, I also recommend removing paper clips. Store these in a ziplock bag and you’ll have a stockpile that you can reuse. Destapling is not required.

2. Arrive early: Free community shred events are extremely popular. If you get there early, you’ll be waiting. If you show up on time, you’ll be waiting. Thus, it’s better to opt for the former so that you’ll be at the head of the line once the event starts.

Personal shredders (paper purging upkeep)

Remember, paper waste is an ongoing clutter category. While I don’t recommend using personal shredders for bulk shredding, it’s not a bad idea to have one for your weekly or monthly shredding needs. You can find many crosscut shredders on Amazon.* Otherwise, store and pile your annual sensitive paper waste in a separate box to dispose of at seasonal shred events.

^{*Affiliate disclosure: these are links to Amazon through which I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.}

Available now at my bookstore on Pangobooks

Learn some fun trivia about another kind of paper (the kind you don’t want to shred).

Quirky reads 📚

Speaking of good books, here are some titles I’ve been reading lately.

[Affiliate disclosure: these are affiliate links to Amazon through which I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.]

• Christine by Stephen King (not yet reviewed)

Follow me on Goodreads for book recommendations and to see what else I’m reading.

Upcoming (Jan 2025)

Speaking of decluttering, start off 2025 with less clutter and more home.

Upcoming (Fall 2024)

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Resources

Teach a man to fish, you know the rest (if you don’t, check these out).

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Books

I wrote most of these so spruce up your home library and look smart in the process.

• The Poshmark Guide for Individuals and Small Businesses (Paperback, Kindle, Audible) 

• The Poshmark Guide for Individuals and Small Businesses (Apple audiobooks)

• The Poshmark Journal for Individuals and Small Businesses

• The Corporate Cliches Adult Coloring Book

• I Am a Professional Metalhead (audiobook) (Audible affiliate link) written by Angelo Spenillo, narrated by John Lim

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