Have you had the panic when you are leaving the kids behind for a few days and your affairs are not in order? The irrational “what if the plane crashes, who will take care of the mortgage” anxiety? Truly, the need-to-have-my-affairs-in-order risk is probably greater each time I drive to the grocery store. But, driving doesn’t elicit the same emotional reaction as flying or being far from home.
I went through this a few months ago. My husband and I were taking a few weekdays away from home. Mind you, we are coming out of the toddler years, and hadn’t traveled sans kids since before the youngest was born. Preparing the week for the sitter, or Grandpa, took a lot of work. Kid schedules are complicated!
In the middle of planning the week we were leaving behind, I had that what-happens-if angst. Tight on time, I bought a digital emergency binder kit and it wasn’t what I hoped it would be. Somehow, during the week leading up to the trip, I found time to make my own.
Life is not one-size fits all.
Perhaps I’m too much of a perfectionist, but an in-case-of-death binder, with blanks or skipped parts seems like it would leave the reader with questions.
What should your emergency binder contain?
If you want to get your affairs in order, here is what you need to consider for your list. Note, depending on your circumstances you may not have or need these type of documents
- Birth Certificate(s)
- Social Security Card(s)
- Passport(s)
- Marriage Certificate
- Mortgage Documents
- Auto Documents
- Life Insurance Information
- Loan information
- Will
- Living Will
- Power of Attorney
- Judgement of Divorce
But simpler would be to use my Important Documents List. It’s a free download, you can find it here.
Why use this important documents list?
It’s easy.
I like easy. I know there are online programs that can track important documents. A copy of my document won’t help if I need to locate my actual passport for an upcoming trip. Plus I have to remember user name and password, my husband has to remember this too, and I have to write down the password with the “babysitter” when my husband and I travel.
With this list, all you have to do is write down where these items are. No scanning, re-locating, or other nonsense. If you keep your birth certificates in a lock box, note that. If you file your car information, note that.
It’s a start.
Planning for the future is scary. The what-if scenarios are not enjoyable to think about. My affairs-in-order binder started with worse case scenario, both my husband and I were to not return home. But, if something were to happen to either one of us the other would need some of this. I manage the household so would be in better shape, but with some bills in his name and some in mine, it can get complicated.
It gets you thinking about what you need in your affairs-in-order plan.
If you are just starting to get your affairs in order. Let this be a start.
Do you have pet considerations? Do you need a home inventory? What insurances do you have?
Stay tuned for more on building an emergency binder. I’ll walk you though the process along with my favorite tips and tricks.
Putting Together Your Emergency Document List with Grace
Like it or not, organizing household documents is an everyday chore. Mail, school work, recipes, pictures, notes, garden plans, to name a few. I just got some mail I need, and can’t remember the “safe” place I put it. Give yourself some grace when putting your important documents location list together. If you can’t remember the location or can’t find a document, pause, move on, then take some time, maybe days to find what you are looking for. You’ll feel better once you do.
Building an Emergency Binder with Wit
While planning your emergency binder may not be a humorous activity, you are using your wits to get ahead. A smart person prepares. That is what this exercise is, preparation.