According to Sylvain Patry, identity theft expert, “shredding documents isn’t just for businesses and people with something to hide. Canadian households are full of documents that contain potentially compromising information.”

Here is a list of the top 10 documents that you should be shredding at home or at the office: 

1. Monthly Credit Card Statements
2. Employment Paystubs - If you receive pay stubs on a weekly basis or otherwise, you should keep them only until you receive your annual wage and tax statement.
3. Personal Income Tax Reports – You should hold onto these (in a safe place) for five years. However, after five years, it is important that they be shredded.
4. Monthly Utility Bills - This includes anything from hydro bills to cable bills.
5. Spam Mail - Any document you receive by regular mail, including sign-up forms for a new credit card, a magazine subscription, or any other document that contains your personal information, such as your name, home address, phone number, etc.
6. Federal, Provincial or Municipal Government Documents – Examples of this would be your health card, driver’s licence or passport renewal notices, or even a confirmation letter of your children’s school registration for the new school year.
7. Express Mail Documents - Generally invoices or a confirmation of delivery that accompany a letter or package that was delivered to you by UPS, FedEx, or Canada Post Express - even the labels on delivery boxes or envelopes.
8. Membership Notices – If you are a member of any organization, such as a tennis club, fitness club, library, etc., be sure to shred all membership renewal notices and documents accompanying the delivery of membership cards, credit cards, store cards, etc.
9. Banking Documents – This includes bank account statements, used bank account booklets, old unused checks, etc...
10. Miscellaneous Documents – Any other documents you receive or possess that contain usernames and passwords. 

Don't forget there is still time to enter to win a Fellowes Powershred P12-C Shredder here on Toronto Teacher Mom. Want more chances to win? Join us for the #FellowesProtects Twitter party!

Here are the party details and who to follow on Twitter:

Date: Wednesday, March 26

Time: 8:00 pm ET

Party Hashtag: #FellowesProtects

Host: @FellowesCanada
Moderators: @Listen2Lena – @FeistyFrugal – @Kidsumers – @TeacherMomofTwo