---
title: What to do with a room full of old records
description: Clearing a file room for a move or remodel? Why reviewing every folder stalls the project, when to scan first, and when you can shred the originals.
---

[Insights](https://www.dtiibs.com/insights)

# [What to do with a room full of old records](https://www.dtiibs.com/insights/what-to-do-with-a-room-full-of-old-records)

 Written by [Ryan White](https://www.dtiibs.com/insights/author/ryan-white) | Nov 2, 2026, 7:31:43 PM

Don't start by reviewing every folder. Set aside what's obviously finished, like boxes clearly past their retention period, and then consider scanning the rest and applying retention rules to the digital files, using the dates and details captured during scanning. Paper originals can often be destroyed once the scans have been checked and your rules allow it. Public agencies in North Carolina need state approval first, and permanent records generally have to be kept.

## Why the file room is suddenly a project

Most of the calls we get about clearing out a file room come from an office move, a remodel, or a company that simply needs the space back for people to work in. The records have been sitting there for years, and now there's a date on the calendar.

That deadline is useful. It's also when the most common mistake happens.

## Reviewing every folder first

The instinct is to go through every file cabinet and decide, record by record, what's worth scanning and what can go. In our experience that leads to analysis paralysis. The people who know the records best also have day jobs, so the review gets pushed to the back burner, and the boxes are still there when the movers show up.

Some decisions really are quick. A shelf of boxes labeled with years that are well past your retention period, or obvious duplicates, can be set aside right away. The trouble starts when the review has to go down to the folder or page level.

Looking back, what customers tend to regret is waiting so long to get started, and spending too much time up front deciding what to scan and what not to.

## Scan first, then let the technology sort

When the review gets that detailed, it's often more cost-effective to have your scanning vendor scan everything. As the documents are scanned, OCR pulls out the text, and the records can be indexed and dated from what's on the page. Once they're in a [document management system](https://www.dtiibs.com/document-management), you can apply retention rules to the digital files and get rid of what you don't need, without anyone opening a folder by hand.

The math usually favors this approach. Scanning is priced per page or per box, and paying your key employees to read through every cabinet before making a decision is expensive in a way that rarely shows up in a budget. Technology does the detailed sorting faster after the records are digital.

This runs a little against some traditional records advice. The [Texas State Library and Archives](https://www.tsl.texas.gov/slrm/blog/2020/09/faq-can-i-destroy-a-paper-original-after-scanning/), for example, points out that scanning everything isn't always necessary or cost-effective, and that some records should stay on paper for historical, financial or legal reasons. Both points can hold. Make the quick calls first, keep anything that has to stay on paper, and don't spend months on page-by-page review when scanning and sorting digitally would cost less.

## Can you shred the originals after scanning?

Often, yes, but it depends on who you are and what the records are.

- **North Carolina public agencies.** The [NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources](https://archives.ncdcr.gov/government/digital-records/imaging-records) allows local governments to dispose of scanned paper records only after it approves a request to destroy them, and that request doesn't cover records with permanent retention. Agencies that scan records also need a signed electronic records and imaging policy.
- **Tax records for businesses.** IRS Revenue Procedure 97-22 allows paper originals to be destroyed once the business has tested its electronic storage system and put procedures in place to keep it compliant, including legible images and an indexed way to retrieve them, as [Thomson Reuters explains](https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/blog/ask-the-expert-can-paper-w-9s-be-destroyed-after-scanning-into-your-electronic-system/). Check with your CPA before relying on it.
- **Timing.** Even when destruction is allowed, it's worth keeping the originals until someone has reviewed the scans. The Texas State Library suggests waiting at least six months.

We don't set retention rules for our customers. We point them to publicly available guidance for financial and company records, and most people can find what applies in their state or city with a quick search. Then we rely on the customer to tell us what their rules are. Confirm your own requirements with your records officer or legal counsel before anything is destroyed.

## What to expect once the boxes leave

Records that have sat in storage for years rarely match the label on the box. Boxes get mislabeled, things turn up inside that nobody expected, and often not much care went into how they were packed in the first place. Staples, clips, sticky notes, torn pages and mixed sizes all take time to handle before anything goes through a scanner, and oversized drawings need [large-format scanning](https://www.dtiibs.com/large-format-scanning). Expect your vendor to look at a sample before quoting, and to have you approve a small sample before full production starts.

A typical 100-box project is usually complete in one to two months, depending on how much preparation the records need and how detailed the indexing is. If you have a move date, say so at the start so the work can be planned around it.

We typically hold originals for 30 to 90 days after delivery, long enough for your team to review the files and ask for rescans. After that, we return them or securely destroy them, once you've confirmed your retention requirements.

## What to do this week

- Put the deadline in writing: the move, remodel or date you need the space back.
- Walk the room and pull out what's obviously done, like boxes clearly past retention and duplicate copies. Stop there.
- Flag anything that may have to stay on paper, such as permanent records or originals with legal value.
- Count the boxes and cabinets, and note any oversized drawings or bound books.
- Decide how people will search for records later, by name, account, project or date, because that shapes the indexing.

## Frequently asked questions

**Do we need to sort everything before we scan?**

No. Make the quick decisions first, like boxes clearly past retention. For the rest, it's often cheaper to scan and apply retention rules to the digital files than to pay your team to review every folder.

**Can we shred the paper after it's scanned?**

Often, once the scans have been checked and your retention rules allow it. North Carolina public agencies need state approval first, and permanent records generally have to be kept. Confirm with your records officer or legal counsel before destroying anything.

**Do we have to scan everything?**

Not always. Records past their retention period can be destroyed without scanning, and some records need to stay on paper. The rest is a cost decision between scanning now or paying people to sort it by hand.

**How long does it take to scan a file room?**

A typical 100-box project usually takes one to two months. Preparation, indexing detail and your deadline all affect the schedule.

**What happens to the originals after scanning?**

We typically keep them for 30 to 90 days so your team can review the files and request rescans, then return them or securely destroy them.

## Let's talk about your boxes

If you've got a move date or a room you need back, start with our [Scanning Scope Worksheet](https://www.dtiibs.com/scanning-scope-worksheet) to size the project, or [talk with us](https://www.dtiibs.com/contact) about your records. We handle projects from a single box to several thousand in our secured Greensboro facility.

[View full post](https://www.dtiibs.com/insights/what-to-do-with-a-room-full-of-old-records)

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