A no-stress guide for families, students, and expats

Let’s be honest: nobody teaches you this stuff. You start adulting, and suddenly you’ve got papers flying in from banks, schools, governments, and employers. Some feel important. Some feel outdated. But what if you need them later?

DocsOrb is built to help you stop guessing. Here’s a no-fluff guide to what’s worth keeping, scanning, or shredding.

Rule of thumb: If it "proves" something important, keep it.

Whether it’s identity, ownership, money, or rights - if a document proves it, it’s probably worth saving. Now, let’s break it down.

🔐 Must-Keep Originals

Keep these physical copies in a secure place. Scan them too!

• Birth, marriage, and death certificates

• Passports and visas

• Citizenship or immigration documents

• Academic certificates and transcripts

• Wills and power of attorney

• Vehicle titles

• Property deeds or leases

📸 Scan & Store Digitally (but keep paper if unsure)

Paper is annoying. These can safely live in DocsOrb, just make sure they’re readable.

• Insurance policies (health, auto, home)

• Bank statements (if not online)

• Tax returns (last 7 years)

• Medical records

• Employment contracts

• Pay slips (at least recent 12 months)

• Utility bills (3–6 months)

• Childcare or school records

• Rental agreements or proof of rent paid

• Warranty cards & receipts for big purchases

• Travel visa applications or confirmations

• Letters from government offices (e.g., pension, social security)

• Vaccination records (including COVID)

• Flight, hotel, or itinerary confirmations

🗑️ Safe to Shred (after digitizing or expiration)

These take up space and rarely matter after their due date.

• Old boarding passes, tickets

• Expired IDs or credit cards

• Junk mail

• Outdated brochures or manuals

• Delivery confirmations

• One-time notices (e.g., appointment slips)

🎯 Special Cases: Expats & Students

• Expats: Keep scans of everything you submitted to immigration, your health insurance proof, local registration docs, and language course certificates.

• Students: Keep student IDs, enrollment letters, and any scholarship or loan paperwork.

✅ Final Checklist

• Create folders in DocsOrb by topic or life event

• Scan must-have papers using your phone

• Tag documents by type (e.g., “identity”, “health”)

• Shred the rest

• Sleep better

No more drawer chaos. No more “Where did I put that?” Just clean, organized peace of mind.

👉 Ready to start? Download DocsOrb