{"id":549,"date":"2022-10-11T17:19:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-11T16:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr.localhost\/?p=549"},"modified":"2026-08-04T11:18:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T09:18:47","slug":"declutter-administrative-documents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/en\/desencombrer-son-logement-faire-le-tri-des-documents-administratifs\/","title":{"rendered":"Sort your administrative documents and free up space!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A well-ordered house is a house where each room is optimized to provide the most space, but it is also a house where everything is in its place, well organized. In fact, it is inevitable to tackle at some point a task feared by many: sorting and arranging administrative papers and documents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> If this step proves tedious and thankless, even anxiety-provoking for many of us, once completed it allows you to have a free mind and feel relieved. How to sort your papers clearly and efficiently? How to classify them? Where to store them? Why choose one <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/en\/storage-units\/business-storage\/\">box for document archiving<\/a> ? We help you answer these questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Key points to remember:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To effectively declutter your administrative documents, start by gathering all your papers, sort them according to their legal retention period, discard unnecessary documents, and then classify the others by category (identity, housing, banking, taxes, health, work, etc.). Also consider scanning important documents to save space while keeping an easily accessible copy.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Summary<\/h2><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#premiere-etape-faire-le-tri-dans-vos-papiers-administratifs\">First step: sort through your administrative papers<\/a><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#comment-trier-ses-documents-administratifs\">How to sort your administrative documents?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#deuxieme-etape-proceder-a-un-classement-efficace-et-pertinent\">Second step: carry out an effective and relevant classification<\/a><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#peut-on-tout-numeriser\">Can everything be digitized?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#troisieme-etape-ranger-vos-documents\">Third step: put away your documents<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"premiere-etape-faire-le-tri-dans-vos-papiers-administratifs\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">First step: sort through your administrative papers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-constrained wp-block-column-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center is-image-fill-element\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PAPIERS-ADMINISTRATIFS.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-550 size-full\" style=\"object-position:50% 50%\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PAPIERS-ADMINISTRATIFS.webp 800w, https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PAPIERS-ADMINISTRATIFS-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PAPIERS-ADMINISTRATIFS-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PAPIERS-ADMINISTRATIFS-18x12.webp 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sorting your documents is the first step before filing and organizing them. But first and foremost, make sure you're in a quiet, uncluttered room so you can focus on what you're doing and have enough space to spread out all your papers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Otherwise, you could quickly get lost and have to start the task all over again. It's best to begin sorting your documents in the morning or early afternoon, as it can take several hours.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"comment-trier-ses-documents-administratifs\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to sort your administrative documents?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recycle unnecessary documents.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gather all the papers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Remove duplicates.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check the shelf life.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sort by category.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Digitize important documents.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Archive the necessary originals.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you do not know when to throw away a document, do not hesitate to go to the public service website, you will have all the information concerning the legal retention period of your various papers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here is a small selection for you by category.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes has-small-font-size\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Category<\/th><th>Document<\/th><th>Shelf life<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Work, unemployment, retirement<\/strong><\/td><td>Payslips<\/td><td>Until the end of retirement (lifetime storage recommended)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td>Employment contract<\/td><td>Until the end of retirement<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td>France Travail (formerly P\u00f4le emploi) certificate<\/td><td>Until unemployment benefits are received<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td>Proof of unemployment benefit payments<\/td><td>3 years<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td>Retirement pension payment slips<\/td><td>To be kept permanently<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Bank<\/strong><\/td><td>Check to be cashed<\/td><td>1 year and 8 days<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td>Credit agreement (mortgage or consumer)<\/td><td>2 years after the last deadline<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td>Account statements<\/td><td>5 years<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td>Check stubs<\/td><td>5 years<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td>Bank card receipts<\/td><td>Until receipt of the corresponding account statement<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Assurance<\/strong><\/td><td>Receipts, payment due notices, cancellation letters, proof of payment<\/td><td>2 years<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td>Insurance contract<\/td><td>Up to 2 years after the end of the contract<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td>Life insurance contract<\/td><td>10 years<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Taxes and fees<\/strong><\/td><td>Income tax returns and notices<\/td><td>3 years<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td>Property tax and council tax notice (or other local taxes)<\/td><td>1 year<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This selection is not an exhaustive list. For all legal retention periods, particularly for documents related to your housing, telecommunications, family, vehicle, or health, please visit the website of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.service-public.gouv.fr\/particuliers\/vosdroits\/F19134\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">public service<\/a> or consult our specific article <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/en\/document-retention-periods-guide\/\">on document retention periods<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"deuxieme-etape-proceder-a-un-classement-efficace-et-pertinent\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Second step: carry out an effective and relevant classification<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Organizing your documents can be done in two different ways: either by storing them in a binder on paper, or online using your preferred archiving service, such as Google Drive. Choose the method you're most comfortable with. Regardless of the method, the filing process remains the same. In fact, the most efficient and transparent way to organize your papers is simply to... <strong>group by category.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here is a possible list of categories to help you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes has-small-font-size\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Category<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Documents to keep<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Professional situation<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2022 Payslips<br>\u2022 Employment contract(s)<br>\u2022 Work certificate(s)<br>\u2022 Statements of daily sickness and maternity allowances<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Bank documents<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2022 Bank contracts (mortgage loans, consumer credit, etc.)<br>\u2022 Loan and credit repayment schedules<br>\u2022 Files relating to bank accounts<br>\u2022 Check stubs<br>\u2022 Account statements<br>\u2022 Bank card receipts (if kept)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Insurance<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2022 Insurance contracts<br>\u2022 Receipts<br>\u2022 Due date notice<br>\u2022 Cancellation letters<br>\u2022 Proof of payment<br>\u2022 Automotive information records<br>\u2022 Life insurance contract<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Taxes and fees<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2022 Income tax returns<br>\u2022 Income tax notice<br>\u2022 Supporting documents used for the declaration (actual expenses, etc.)<br>\u2022 Local tax notices (property tax, housing tax, etc.)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Accommodation<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2022 Electricity, gas and water bills<br>\u2022 Landline and mobile phone bills<br>\u2022 Internet bills<br>\u2022 Proof of return of equipment (box)<br>\u2022 Invoices for work<br>\u2022 Chimney sweeping certificates<br>\u2022 Certificates of annual boiler maintenance<br>\u2022 Real estate sales deeds<br>\u2022 Proof of payment of condominium fees<br>\u2022 Correspondence with the trustee<br>\u2022 Minutes of the condominium owners' association general meeting<br>\u2022 Rental agreement<br>\u2022 Entry and exit condition reports<br>\u2022 Rent receipts<br>\u2022 Rent review letters<br>\u2022 Inventory of furniture (furnished rental)<br>\u2022 Proof of payment of housing benefit<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Vehicle<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2022 Purchase and repair invoices<br>\u2022 Driving licence examination certificate<br>\u2022 Fixed penalty notices<br>\u2022 Vehicle transfer certificates<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Family and schooling<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2022 Civil status documents (birth, recognition, marriage, death)<br>\u2022 Notice of payment of family allowances<br>\u2022 Divorce decree \u2022 Adoption decree<br>\u2022 Act of recognition of a child<br>\u2022 Marriage contract<br>\u2022 Civil Partnership Agreement<br>\u2022 Family record book<br>\u2022 Degrees<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Health<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2022 Health insurance and maternity reimbursement statements \u2022<br> Health insurance card and documents<br>\u2022 Hospital or healthcare facility bills<br>\u2022 Proof of daily allowances<br>\u2022 Vaccination record<br>\u2022 Blood type card<br>\u2022 Health record<br>\u2022 Medical certificates<br>\u2022 Medical examinations (X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs, tests, etc.)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"peut-on-tout-numeriser\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can everything be digitized?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The digitization of administrative documents is a <strong>excellent solution for saving space<\/strong>It allows you to quickly find a document and limit the risk of loss during a move or in the event of a disaster. It also allows you to access your files from any device and easily share a copy if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, even though many digital documents now have probative value, <strong>Some original versions remain highly recommended.<\/strong>, or even indispensable. This is particularly the case:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>civil status documents, <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>from the family record book, <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>deeds of ownership, <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>notarized contracts, <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>of the will, <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>of certain judgments <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>or even original diplomas. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before throwing away a paper document, always check that there is no legal or administrative obligation to keep it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To secure your digital archives, it is advisable to apply <strong>the rule of<\/strong> <strong>3-2-1<\/strong> Keep a copy on your computer, a backup on an external hard drive, and a third in a secure online (cloud) storage space. This way, your documents remain accessible even in the event of a computer failure, loss, or theft of your equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, take the time to properly organize your computer files, just like your paper documents. Classify them by broad categories (housing, banking, health, taxes, work, etc.), and adopt a clear naming convention (for example, <em>2026-03_Electricity_Invoice.pdf<\/em>) and protect your sensitive data with a strong password and, if possible, two-factor authentication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Digitization is therefore an excellent complement to paper archiving, but it does not systematically replace the preservation of the most important original documents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"troisieme-etape-ranger-vos-documents\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Third step: put away your documents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center is-image-fill-element\"><figure  class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/papiers-ranges-1-scaled.webp\" style=\"object-position:50% 50%;\" class=\"wp-image-552 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/papiers-ranges-1-scaled.webp 2560w, https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/papiers-ranges-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/papiers-ranges-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/papiers-ranges-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/papiers-ranges-1-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/papiers-ranges-1-2048x1365.webp 2048w, https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/papiers-ranges-1-18x12.webp 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now that all your papers and documents are sorted by category, all that's left is to file them away! While this step may seem the easiest, it's nonetheless essential. By ensuring everything has its place, you make things much easier for yourself. Whenever you need to find a document, you'll know exactly where to look and you'll save valuable time.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For optimal storage of your papers we advise you to follow the following tips, they will help you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>First tip: store your documents in the same place, for example in your office. To be sure that they do not suffer any damage, we advise you to put them in a metal document holder.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Second tip: In order not to scatter your papers and start this tedious sorting process too often, put away your new documents as soon as you have consulted and processed them.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Third tip: Don't hesitate to implement a color-coding system and also to clearly mark various information such as names, dates, and the \"category\" of documents. This will allow you to find a document you're looking for even more quickly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, if the number of documents takes up too much space, consider depositing them in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/en\/storage-units\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"231\">storage unit rental near you<\/a>This will be secure and your papers will be much better protected from the elements than in a cellar or storage unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Une maison bien ordonn\u00e9e est une maison o\u00f9 chaque pi\u00e8ce est optimis\u00e9e pour apporter le plus d&rsquo;espace mais c&rsquo;est \u00e9galement une maison o\u00f9 chaque chose est \u00e0 sa place, bien organis\u00e9e. De fait, il est in\u00e9vitable de s&rsquo;attaquer \u00e0 un moment \u00e0 une t\u00e2che redout\u00e9e par beaucoup : le tri et le rangement des papiers [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":552,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=549"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12662,"href":"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549\/revisions\/12662"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/552"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=549"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=549"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lockall.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=549"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}