It’s A Women’s World

No home office is complete without a paper shredder. When you need to discard documents that have personal information on them, such as your social security number or your bank information, you will want to shred it to make sure that personal information doesn’t get into the wrong hands. The best way to do this is to use a cross cut paper shredder.

This model will give you more security than other paper shredders because it cuts the paper both vertically and horizontally into confetti like pieces. A cross cut paper shredder can generally shred up to eight pages of paper at one time. The basket of a cross cut paper shredder will hold more cut paper because it compresses better. A cross cut paper shredder may cost a little more than your standard shredders, but the security you receive makes it worth the cost.

There are two main things you should keep in mind when you are purchasing one, the materials that you will most likely be shredding and the amount of shredding that your cross cut paper shredder will be handling. Generally, any type of shredder is designed to handle paper, with the occasional credit card thrown in.

The commercial version is designed to last between seven and ten years. Maintenance of these shredders usually include oiling the cutting assembly, removing dust on the blades, and replacing bags as they fill with shredded paper. You should also not use your shredder at it’s peak paper capacity continuously. The personal version of the cross cut paper shredder isn’t designed to be repaired. If it breaks down and is still under warranty, the manufacturer will most likely send out a replacement model. To minimize the chances of it breaking down, you shouldn’t use it for more than ten to fifteen minutes at a time and never go over the recommended paper capacity.

This type of paper shredder can range in price of just over $100 to way over $600. It depends a lot on the brand, the purpose and the size of the shredder, not to mention all the extras the higher end paper shredders have. By purchasing a cross cut paper shredder you will be minimizing the security risks there are from disposing of information sensitive documents. Of course anyone can reassemble shredded paper, but this type of shredder will definitely make it a more tedious task. In the long run, no matter how much you pay for your cross cut paper shredder, it will be worth its weight in gold when you use it to keep your information from getting into the wrong hands and possibly protecting yourself from identity theft.

Take it from someone who knows. There are good cleaning services out there and there are some that you simply don’t want in your home. I worked for a maid service while I put myself through college and I would not have stayed there had they not been honest. It is always tricky when you invited someone in your home, and this is especially true when a cleaning service will have access to all areas of your home, sometimes while you aren’t there.

When looking for a cleaning service, going with a chain might be a good idea. If you want to go with a local cleaning service, look for one that has been in business for a while and that can give you good references. No matter what cleaning services you choose, remember that bad things can happen no matter who you hire. You should always make sure you take precautions when inviting strangers into your home. How well these cleaning services will clean your home is important, but you have to think about protection as well.

Most cleaning services will take care of you if something were to happen. They have insurance for just this purpose. No matter how well you screen employees, a bad apple can slip through. We once had a girl who stole a credit card and some jewelry from a home. It was only her second week of work, but she was obviously looking for the right time. She happened to be on my crew and I remember I didn’t find out about it until she was fired and the damage was long done.

We offered weekly and bi-weekly cleaning services and this particular home was on a bi-weekly schedule. They had been using our cleaning services for a long time and felt comfortable with us, until this lady came along. She was easily caught though because the stolen credit card was being used in and around her neighborhood. She quit before she was caught, but she was soon in custody for theft. The homeowner was reimbursed for their missing items and money.

When looking for cleaning services, perhaps the best one will be one that has insurance against theft. They should do everything the can to keep dishonest people out of your home, but it isn’t always possible. Don’t get me wrong, almost all of the people who work for cleaning services are honest, but you can never be too careful. Make sure you are covered if something goes wrong.