U Chic (& Dorm Room) Approved: Swingline Paper Shredder

By Megan O'Connell, Student at the University of Wisconsin - Platteville

You all probably have the classic red Swingline stapler handy in your dorm room or apartment. It’s not something you think about often, but when you do, you have to give that thing credit. That stapler has been there for you for many term papers, research papers and maybe even a love letter or two. Swingline has introduced a new product that will prove to be just as reliable and important to you as that classic stapler.

The Swingline Stack-and-Shred is a paper shredder designed to suit college-aged woman perfectly. Owning a paper shredder is an essential step in preventing identify theft and is also a great way to keep your dorm room clutter free!

I spoke with Katherine Riley, integrated marketing manager for ACCO Brands, on the importance of owning a paper shredder, and more specifically, on what the Swingline Stack-and-Shred can offer to college-aged woman.

Megan: Why is it important for college-aged women to have a paper shredder in their dorm room/apartment?
Katherine: Simply put, a dependable paper shredder can act as a first line of defense against paper-based ID theft, which is still a significant problem. It's not always about hacked email accounts or losing your cellphone with sensitive data. In fact, think about this statistic for a moment and how damaging ID theft can be - it's the fastest growing crime in the USA, according to the National Crime Prevention Council.

Why not shred that paperwork when it's no longer needed? It's so easy and affordable to do! Simply hand-tearing and then throwing away documents that contain personal or confidential information can very much put you at risk for ID theft. Take a moment to think through some of the documents in your dorm or apartment that include your Social Security number, driver's license number, ATM numbers, credit card numbers - the list goes on and on. Shredding is simply the easiest first step.

M: What would you to say to students who are hesitant to spend a lot of money on a paper shredder?
K: Students don't have to spend a lot of money for a quality Swingline Stack-and-Shred paper shredder. In fact, the Stack-and-Shred 60X (Red) is available on Amazon for as low as $130. It's also a very small investment compared to the stress and financial problems that can result from identity theft. While some identity theft victims can resolve their problems quickly, others spend hundreds of dollars and many days repairing damage to their good name and credit record.

M: What would you say to students who don't think they need a paper shredder?
K: I would suggest to students (or anyone for that matter!) who doesn't think that they need a paper shredder to take a quick glance around their dorm room or apartment, particularly a dedicated or shared work area and chances are pretty good that you not only have some confidential or personal documents that could be easily accessed (and should be shredded) but maybe you are also struggling with growing piles of paper clutter. We have all felt overwhelmed at times with that pile that never seems to go away!

M: What are some documents you might suggest are important to shred?
K: It's really up to the end user to determine what documents they want to get rid of, but for the sake of preventing paper-based ID theft, Swingline recommends the following documents as a few examples that may contain personal or confidential data and should be properly shredded if you no longer have any use or need for them: bank statements, credit card/ATM receipts, credit cards or computer CDs, anything with your Social Security number or driver’s license number and medical information.

M: Any other comments?
K: No one likes to think that they will be the victim of ID theft - but it happens. You can significantly reduce the chance of personal ID theft by using a paper shredder to destroy all documents and files before discarding them. Swingline's personal use paper shredders are affordable, lightweight and are the perfect fit for different home or personal work environments.

After hearing Katherine’s advice, and trying out the Stack-and-Shred, in red of course, on my own I’m confident in encouraging women my age to purchase a paper shredder and shred those risky documents! The Stack-and-Shred is compact and tailored to fit under desks, making it perfect for compact locations like dorm rooms. Another thing I loved about the shredder is that I barely had to glance at the instructions. The shredder also runs quietly so you don’t have to wake your roommate up if you’re shredding documents at night or in the morning.

The paper shredder is also capable of shredding up to 60 pieces of paper at once, secure credit card shredding and shredding staples and paper clips in any corner. All this and the bottom is a 4-gallon wastebasket so you don’t have to constantly empty it! And did I mention it comes in red?!

To see all of the paper shredders that are part of the Stack-and-Shred line, visit www.abetterwaytoshred.com.