How to Keep Important Documents Safe: Tips to Secure Files

It’s essential to protect your important documents.

Protecting documents from a natural disaster or fire will keep the original document intact for when you need it.

Likewise, keeping digital files secure will prevent your documents from being stolen or corrupted.

In this guide, we’ll explore how to keep important documents safe physically and digitally.

How to store important documents at home

1. Store physical copies in a secure location

A secured location can be a safety deposit box, document safe, or filing system in your home or office. Additionally, these items might have the additional safety feature of a lock or passcode.

Normally, paper takes about 2 to 6 weeks to degrade. However, when stored out of direct light in a cool, dry place, paper can take several years to degrade. 

Safely storing your documents will give you access to important and personal papers for years to come.

Storing documents keeps your identity safe and makes it easier to locate important papers at a moment’s notice.

Make sure that the option you choose has enough storage space to keep important documents without demanding a large amount of square footage in your home. 

If you have a place where a deposit box can be hidden in plain sight, this can be an added bonus.

Hidden deposit box disguised as a book to put on your shelves, Amazon

2. Consider using a fireproof and waterproof safe for added protection

Consider using a fireproof and waterproof safe where important files should have their own plastic page.

Clear files for individual paper records, Amazon

These types of safety deposit boxes are specifically designed to withstand high temperatures and water damage, ensuring the preservation and safety of your documents in case of unforeseen emergencies or disasters. The plastic page provides an additional barrier of protection, keeping your documents safe from moisture and potential damage.

How to store important documents online

Storing important documents is more than securing them physically.

With the potential of unlimited digital storage when you store them online, any financial document, bank statements, and important documents can be located by a simply search.

1. Make digital backups

Creating a digital backup for your documents is one way to ensure that you have an extra copy to access at any time. 

You can save these electronic and digital copies on an external hard drive, cloud storage service, or digital filing cabinet to prevent losing essential documents from computer crashes, viruses, or other issues.

To save your important papers digitally, you can use a document scanner or a receipt scanner to upload them to your computer. 

Shoeboxed and Magic Envelope, for example, are easy on-the-go scanners for financial documents, such as receipts. 

How to send your receipts with Shoeboxed’s Magic Envelope

When there are too many items to scan, Shoeboxed’s Magic Envelope lets you stuff all of your receipts into their prepaid Magic Envelope to scan the documents for you. Now you?

2. Use password protection on sensitive documents

Setting a password on sensitive documents restricts access to the document that can only be lifted by entering the password. 

Using a password can also restrict certain actions within the document, such as editing or printing. 

Sensitive documents may include:

a. Certificates

• Birth certificates

• Divorce or marriage certificates

• Death certificates

• Child custody papers

b. Personal documents

• Social Security cards

• Educational enrollment

• Medical records

• Citizenship-related documents

c. Financial records

• bank or credit union statements

• Credit card statements

• Tax records such as annual tax returns or business documents

• Estate-planning documents

• Loan information

Always keep the original documents in a secure location. 

Any of these digitally-copied items should have password protection on it, as over 212.4 million American users had their data breached in 2021. Prioritize using a password manager for your Windows, Linux, or Mac system to securely store your sensitive data.

For most computing systems, you can follow the steps below to secure your digital document with a password:

• File > Info > Protect document > Encrypt with Password

How to add a password on a word doc with Microsoft Word, Online Tech Tips

You can also search for passwords in your computer help bar to add a password to your files

3. Shred old documents

It’s a good idea to check if any documents are no longer needed. If they aren’t needed, then you can shred them to declutter your papers.

Each document has its own rule of thumb for when it can be shredded.

For example, you should immediately shred your paystub once the money is transferred into your account. 

For tax-related documents, it’s recommended that you keep those for at least 7 years. Northwest Community Credit Union explains which documents should be kept and for how long.

Using a shredder protects any of your personal information, such as your home address and card information.

4. Level up with document encryption

Encrypting a document is different from using a document password.

Instead of using a password, encryption involves scrambling what’s inside the document. Those without the passcode will be unable to read it unless the correct code is entered.

A simplified explanation of how encryption works, Shoeboxed

Every 39 seconds, there is a new cyber attack on the web. 

To prevent your documents from getting stolen, it’s recommended to use document encryption when storing documents online, especially if you’re sending any of them through email. 

This process will ensure confidential information, such as social security numbers and credit card numbers, is protected from hackers or phishing attacks.

How to encrypt a document with Microsoft word, Wayne State University

You may need to install document-encoding software. That said, some digital filing systems, such as Microsoft Office, already allow you to encrypt your document.

Frequently asked questions

How to store important documents online?

You can use a digital filing system on your computer, an external hard drive, or a cloud storage space.

Use password protection or document encryption on your sensitive documents, such as financial records, legal contracts, personal identification documents, and medical records. So if these files are compromised, unauthorized individuals won’t be able to access the information.

Where to store important documents?

Store physical documents in a secure location in a fireproof and waterproof safe box. If the location were to flood or burn, you’re still able to store important documents.

A computer or an external hard drive is a great location for digital documents. Going digital is convenient, but remember to add password protection or document encryption to keep your documents safe.

Final thoughts

Learning how to keep important documents safe protects your identity. 

By taking these steps, you’ll be able to secure your documents and know they’ll be safe until you’re ready to access them.

Tammy Dang is a staff writer for Shoeboxed covering productivity, organization, and digitization how-to guides for the home and office. Her favorite organization tip is “1-in-1-out.” And her favorite app for managing articles and deadlines is Monday.com.

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