Let’s get personal: How I got my shit together and stopped the middle of the night panic.
I have anxiety.
I used to be struck with random panic, wondering the location of personal documents--you know, the ones that are super important, but you rarely use. I'd lie awake imagining horrible scenarios where I would need a certain thing and not be able to find it. Finally, I bit the bullet and developed a system that works for me (and could easily be implemented for business as well).
First, I got a binder and dividers, and some of those clear pages that open at the top. I can see things easily and I don't have to unpack a bunch of folders and files. Then, I created a section for each household member (pets included!), one for vehicles, and one for household. Time to gather documents! Here are a few items I included & some things that may apply to you:
For family:
Birth certificate
Marriage certificate
Death certificates
Immunization record / medical records (or vet records for pets)
Social security card
Passport
Divorce decree / name change documents
Military service record
Copy of life insurance policy
Will / Living will
Power of attorney
Health insurance cards
School records (including enrollment, eligibility and IEP's or 504 if applicable)
For vehicles (including boats, campers, trailers, etc):
Title
copy of registration
Copy of insurance
Major service records
Household:
Mortgage documents
Warranties on appliances or repairs
Major maintenance / repair records
Property tax records
lot plat
HOA information
Records on fencing, alarm system, etc
Miscellaneous:
Note credit card numbers, bank account numbers and corresponding contact info so that if your wallet is lost or stolen, you can cancel them immediately and you don't forget about any.
Here is my biggest tip. Invest in a fireproof safe. Even a small one is big peace of mind if the unthinkable happens (I got mine for less than $100). Additionally, that's a LOT of personal information in one spot, so it's important to keep it secure in the event of a break in.
Hope this motivates you to gather some things together and get some peace of mind! What else would you add to this list? Sound off in the comments!
