Which documents to keep in your safe
Updated on 18 June 2026
A practical guide to deciding which papers to store in your secure safe and how to organize them so you can find them when you need them.
The Noryo safe is the place to gather, in one secure location, the documents that truly matter in your financial and administrative life. Instead of scattering them across drawers, emails, and phone photos, you keep them encrypted, organized, and accessible from all your devices. The key is knowing <strong>what</strong> to put in it. Here’s how to sort them.
Essential documents
Some papers deserve a permanent place in your safe, as you need them repeatedly or in case of an emergency. Keeping them on hand saves you from searching for them in a rush.
- ID papers: ID card, passport, driver's license, residence permit.
- Recent proofs of address: energy bill, rent receipt, certificate.
- Important contracts: lease, loan, home, auto, health, and protection insurance.
- Tax documents: tax notices, returns, supporting documents to keep.
- Payslips and employer certificates.
- Useful bank statements and documents.
Ready-to-use folders
To save you time, the safe already includes folders organized by theme. Simply place each document in the right folder.
How long should you keep them?
Retention periods vary depending on the type of document and regulations. For guidance only, here are some common benchmarks. When in doubt, keep them longer: a digitized document takes up no physical space.
| Type de document | Repère de conservation |
|---|---|
| Avis et déclarations d'impôts | Plusieurs années après l'exercice concerné |
| Quittances de loyer | Toute la durée de location, puis quelques années |
| Bulletins de paie | À conserver jusqu'à la retraite |
| Factures avec garantie | Pendant toute la durée de la garantie |
| Contrats d'assurance | Tant que le contrat est actif, puis quelques années |
What to avoid putting in it
The safe is designed for your personal and financial documents. A few best practices help keep it useful and clear.
- Avoid needlessly heavy files: a sharp, legible photo is enough.
- Prefer one document per file rather than one long catch-all PDF, for better filing.
- Check legibility before archiving, especially for a scan taken on the fly.
Take advantage of content search
Once added, your documents can be searched by their content, not just by their file name. You can find a document by typing a word it contains, even if you’ve forgotten what you named it. The more you organize, the more powerful the search becomes.
Learn to find a document quicklyAll the search and filtering tips.
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