You may decide to have an emergencies-only binder that you keep on-hand only for emergencies, not day-to-day use.
Here are some ideas of what you'd want to keep in that binder.
EMERGENCY PLAN
Name of people who have keys to your home
Meeting location in event of an emergency
Out-of-state contact person to call in event of emergency
List and location of items to grab in an emergency (e.g. photos)
Alarm phone
Locations of the following: gas shut-off; fire extinguisher; water main; emergency water; 72-hour kits; neighbors' water and gas shut-offs
Clergy name & phone
FAMILY BASICS
Names, date-of-birth, ssn, and place of birth for all members of household
Home address, phone numbers, fax numbers, cell numbers, emails
Work and school contact information
Personal histories of self & spouse with mothers' and fathers' full names and status
HEALTH
Family members' names and blood types
Primary care physician and specialists' names and contact information
Family members' medical histories
Immunization records
Health insurance information
Location of the following: Living Will; Power of ATtorney
Pharmacy contact information
Essential prescriptions
List of allergies
INSURANCE
Policy #s for home, auto, life, rental, valuables, health, dental, life, disability, liability, pet, long-term care, mortgage
Agents' contact information
List/DVD of possessions and furniture in home
FINANCIAL
Bank contact information
Bank account information (type of account, account number, names on accounts, online access information, etc.)
Financial advisor's contact information
CPA's contact information
Loan information
Stock broker/investment account information
Mutual funds
Safety deposit box(es) information
Stocks/Bonds/Securities/IRA (name of institution, address, phone number, type of investment, name on account, account number, online access information, website)
Mortgage (type, purchase amount, mortgager contact info, loan number, deed and deed location)
Valuable personal property (type, description, approximate value, appraisals, date purchased, purchase amount, location)
401K
Pension
Retirement accounts
Real Estate
Credit cards (don't put account numbers, just card name, issuing bank, payment address, internet account username/password & phone numbers)
Debts/Loans (institution contact info, amount owed, current balance, etc.)
LEGAL & RECORDS
Lawyer's contact information
Location of the following: wills, trusts, living wills, power of attorney docs, pre-nuptial agreement, marriage license, social security cards, citizenship papers, birth certificates, adoption papers, custody agreement, divorce/settlement agreements, education credentials, military papers, death certificates, personal wishes/funeral arrangements, insurance policies (life, health, auto, home), safe deposit box key, credit cards, stocks/bonds/securities, real estate papers, checkbooks, tax records, passports, medical/dental files, immunization records, financial records (for the aforementioned docs, include doc dates, who prepared by, location of original, where copies are located, and who the executors are)
Passport information (include expiration date)
Social security card information (name, number, location of original)
Drivers' license information (name, number, expiration date, etc.)
Real estate deeds/purchase agreements
Automobile docs
Lease docs
Contracts (e.g. home, employment, business, school)
People to notify in the event of death
CAREGIVER
Special needs and instructions
Emergency authorization form
Elder care information
Medical basics: blood type; doctor; specialists; allergies; pharmacy; medical history; medications/supplements
Key contacts (parents, neighbors, friends, grandparents, school teachers)
Location of the following: living will, power of attorney
House sitter information (e.g. alarm code, keys, contact person)
Location of the following: alarm phone number; gas shut-off; fire extinguisher; water main; emergency water and 72-hour kits
HOME
Housekeeper contact info
Nanny
Babysitter
Dog walker/Dog sitter
Gardener
Handyman
Pool Maintenance
Electrician
Plumber
Heating & AC
Gas
Electric
Water
Cable
Trash
Painter
Carpenter
Pest control
Home warranty company
Computer technician
Decorator
Doorman and super
Alarm service
Cleaning services (e.g. windows, carpets)
These lists are a combination of my own work and information provided by the U.S. State Department, Operation Hope, Inc. and Buttoned Up.
If you're looking for a ready-made solution to emergency doc prep, consider Buttoned Up, a company that offers ready-made emergency binders. You can check-out a whole host of organizational products and systems at the company's wesite http://www.getbuttonedup.com/ (Many thanks to Jana Farrell for telling me about the system and for typing up all that information!)
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Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house. . . a house of order, a house of God.
Doctrine & Covenants 88:119
Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house. . . a house of order, a house of God.
Doctrine & Covenants 88:119
ABOUT THIS BLOG
The Household Management Binder System is an infinintely adaptable system of organization for critical documents and information--consolidated into one easy-to-use binder--that will both streamline your daily life and serve as a safety net in the event of a disaster. This blog provides you with the tools for creating your own binder.
INDEX
ABOUT ME
I am a self-confessed control freak. Systematic organization is a natural extension of my need to impose order on my world. As a mother of two young boys, I often feel that I have very little control over what happens in my day. My Household Management Binder helps me feel like I'm making headway in what on most days is most certainly a losing battle.