The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recommends keeping tax records for three to seven years so you can make amendments and respond to audit requests as needed. A storage unit is a practical place for documentation, helping you save space in your office or home. Here are a few tips for protecting your paperwork in the long term.

How to Keep Tax Documents in Storage

1. Sort & Organize

Paperwork often looks the same, making it difficult to find what you need. To stay organized, store papers in separate boxes based on year.

Place loose sheets in envelopes or folders to keep them together. Label folders with what they contain, such as receipts or returns, then write the year on the box so you can quickly identify it.

2. Choose Climate Control

Paperwork is vulnerable to yellowing and fading, particularly in humid environments. According to the National Archives, maintaining your documents at 75 degrees minimizes the rate of decay, protecting paperwork for prolonged periods. Humidity levels should also be 65% or lower to minimize the likelihood of mold formation.

To protect papers from permanent damage, choose a climate-controlled storage unit, where temperatures are typically kept between 55 and 85 degrees. This option also regulates humidity levels to preserve your belongings.

3. Store Carefully

Protect your boxes from potential floods by placing them on shelves inside your unit. Since paperwork containers can be considerably heavy, choose a heavy-duty freestanding shelf system to ensure it can support the weight of your items. Line the boxes by date for better organization.

For easy access, keep documents you anticipate needing frequently or soon—such as receipts from the current year—close to the entrance of the storage unit. Place older returns in the back.

If you’re looking for climate-controlled storage for your documents, trust CJ’s Storage to provide a safe storage unit. Based in Columbia Falls, MT, they offer solutions for residents of the Flathead County, including the Kalispell, Columbia Falls, and Whitefish areas. They offer climate-controlled units in a range of sizes to keep your belongings in the best condition possible. Visit their website for more information, or call (406) 892-1272 to ask about availability.