Spring Cleaning and Identity Theft Protection with the Fellowes P-12C Paper Shredder {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Tina!}

The long-awaited arrival of spring means that we are finally getting closer to opening the windows to enjoy some fresh air, packing away winter boots, and being able to give our house the thorough cleaning that it so desperately needs.

Around here, I know that we are past due on going through outgrown clothes, discarded toys, unused kitchen appliances, and the piles and piles of papers that seem to accumulate on every flat surface. It's time to donate, sell, and throw away everything that we don't need and, although I don't look forward to the process and the time that it will take, I definitely look forward to the clutter-free end result.

An important change that we're going to make this year with our spring cleaning is in our overall safety. Although that refers to using cleaning supplies that contain less chemicals, it also means that all of the sensitive and confidential paperwork that may have previously just ended up being discarded will now head out the door safely thanks to the P-12C Cross-Cut Paper Shredder from Fellowes.

As a global manufacturer and marketer of business machines, records storage solutions and technology accessories, Fellowes' goal is to enable people to work with greater security, organization and productivity. And with the tedious chore of tax preparation going on for so many people, now is definitely the time for a paper shredder from Fellowes to step in and help.

With everything from credit receipts, old bills, paycheck stubs, bank and investment statements, prescriptions, outdated medical records, and government documents sitting around waiting to be sorted, it is tempting to just dump it all in the trash as soon as your tax forms are completed.

But we all know better, right? We've all heard the horror stories about identity theft and taking the time to dispose of documents properly can make the difference in protecting ourselves from a huge hassle down the road. This year Fellowes has teamed up with the Identity Theft Resource Center to offer important tips to aid in spring cleaning your home office:

• Begin with the Basics: Sort through the piles of paperwork on your desk and in your office drawers. Place them into two categories: ‘save’ and ‘shred.’

• Proper Storage: Organize the “save” pile into labeled folders and be sure to put anything confidential into a fire-proof lock box. The “shred” pile should be properly disposed of with a Cross-Cut shredder, such as a Fellowes P-12C*. Cross-Cut technology is an important feature for a shredder because it provides high security, destroying confidential information into unidentifiable pieces. Equally important are enhanced safety features, such as Fellowes’ SafeSense technology, which shuts the machine down when hands come too close to the paper opening.

• Get a Digital Makeover: Refresh your home office computer by deleting files you no longer use and backing-up important data onto an external hard drive. Clean out your inbox and change all passwords. Refreshing your computer is a good practice to follow throughout the year as well.

• Make Life Easier: Plan ahead by purchasing organizational tools for your desk, such as computer risers or file folder holders. This will help clear clutter from your desk top while keeping things within arms reach.

• Freshen Up: Get rid of dust and germs that easily build up on office equipment such as keyboards, telephones and cabinets. You’ll feel instantly more productive with a clean workspace.
  

I'll admit that in the past we haven't done the best job at thoroughly shredding our documents, so when it came time to test out Fellowes' P-12C Shredder, I was pretty interested to see it in action.

Right away I was impressed with the quality and durability of the P-12C and the fact that it was fully assembled and ready to use right out of the box was a big plus. The compact design (16" x 8.75" x 17") is just right for fitting neatly under your desk, alongside your work area or even in a cabinet.

After plugging it in, there isn't much more involved other than turning on the power switch (located on the back) and sliding the front switch to on (you can also slide it to the other side for reverse in case of a paper jam). Then just stick up to 12 sheets of paper -including paper clips, staples or even credit cards- right in.

Not only can this shredder easily handle larger amounts at once (12 sheets of paper at a time makes it so much faster and easier to purge an entire file!) but it shreds all of your confidential paper documents into nearly 400 particles with its Cross-Cut technology. There's definitely no way to piece something that small back together!

I also really appreciate the 4 gallon bin that comes with the P-12C, as the large capacity means that you won't have to stop and empty it often. It simply pulls right open and is easily accessible for dumping out.

As well as the high quality, speed, and durability that Fellowes' P-12C paper shredder can provide, it has one more feature that I really love: their patented SafeSense Technology. The electronic sensor near the paper opening ensures that the machine automatically stops and won't work if anything, including little hands, come too close.

Overall, I have been extremely impressed with the Fellowes P-12C Cross-Cut Shredder. The combination of the ease of use and excellent job that it does taking care of keeping my information from falling into the wrong hands as well as the way that Fellowes has made safety a priority, has made this a must-have for our home.

With tax season well underway, make sure that your important documents are being filed or disposed of properly... and Fellowes is there to help! The P-12C is available at Target Stores nationwide for $89.99 and, thanks to their generosity, one person will be able to rest assured that their forms aren't being seen by any prying eyes as well, because...

One lucky person will win a P-12C Paper Shredder from Fellowes!

To enter to win: Visit Fellowes and tell me which other of their high quality products you would like to own.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry if you Like Fellowes on Facebook. 1 More Extra Entry if you leave the following message on their wall: I want to spring clean and protect my identity with Fellowes! I just entered to win the high quality P-12C Cross-Cut Shredder at Thanks, Mail Carrier! http://bit.ly/fp4w4v
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

Protect your identity! #WIN a Fellowes Paper Shredder (ARV $90) and keep your info safe! #thxmailcarrier http://bit.ly/fp4w4v #giveaway

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email or become a fan on Facebook.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on April 25th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to Fellowes for providing a P-12C Paper Shredder for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.