Securing your affairs during spring cleaning, here's what Pittsburgh experts say you need to keep

It's the time of year when spring cleaning is in full swing, and many want to avoid the heavy-duty cleaning, but there is something smaller and easier that will make your life more manageable. 

It's all about decluttering, especially all of those papers you've held onto but probably don't need. 

The advice is simple: secure what you need, and get rid of a lot that you don't need, and never will. 

Bank statements, bills, credit cards - what is worth throwing out?

For Chuck O'Neill at Executor Services, he's seen it all. 

"We have clients who keep every bank statement, every canceled check they've ever had; we've had them, going back to the late 70s," he explained. 

O'Neill said that all of that is unnecessary, saying you don't need all of those documents, closed accounts, and closed credit cards; they no longer serve a purpose. 

If it's older than seven years, you can throw it out. 

"That's the amount of time that the IRS can come after you for an audit," O'Neill said. 

Tax returns are just the beginning of things you need to keep. Along with those, you need your will, insurance policies, car titles, deeds, a list of your assets, and accounts and how to access them. 

Making sure your affairs are in order, regardless of age

Christine Brown Murphy, a partner at Zacharia Brown & Bratkovich, a law office specializing in elder law and estate planning, said that you should have a power of attorney and a living will if you are over 18. 

"So, rather than your loved ones having to be burdened with making that end-of-life decision, that living will document already sets out the instructions for your loved ones," Murphy explained. 

You should also make sure they're secure, but that doesn't mean something like a safe deposit box at the bank. 

"Only the person that is on the signature card for the safety deposit box can access it without going through a whole administrative process," she said. "When someone passes away, that safe deposit box gets locked." 

Instead, keep those documents at home in a safe or a fireproof box. 

This also doesn't just apply to those with more life experience; it's never too early to plan. 

"You need to start thinking about this stuff, especially if you have someone else who relies on you," Murphy said.

Finally, make sure that you share the access to the safe with whoever you choose as your power of attorney and your executor. 

Inside the safe, include a list of important people and their contact information: that includes your attorney, CPA, financial advisor, all of your accounts and passwords, security questions, and access to your online footprint.