Why wait for the New Year to get all organized?
Pull this from your "I'll get around to it someday", "sitting on the back burner" list and "get 'er done". Tackle this project in just 4 steps and help yourself avoid drama, drama, drama when an emergency smacks you right in the face and you are UNPREPARED!
Pull this from your "I'll get around to it someday", "sitting on the back burner" list and "get 'er done". Tackle this project in just 4 steps and help yourself avoid drama, drama, drama when an emergency smacks you right in the face and you are UNPREPARED!
I thought about (and researched) what would I need to know if someone I loved got ill and I had to manage their life for a while. Or, in the worse case scenario, manage it after they're gone.
Especially with aging parents, this is so important.
Ask yourself...
What if something happened to you or someone you love?
Could you, your spouse, or someone else, step in and help with the day to day things?
Would you have access to the important info?
Would you even know where it was?
Wouldn't you rather think about and gather these things now,
instead of frantically searching for them later?
Would you even know where it was?
Wouldn't you rather think about and gather these things now,
instead of frantically searching for them later?
Setting up your Emergency Book
The ICE Checklist is a guideline with all sorts of things to think about when you're putting your Emergency Book together. Customize it to make it fit your life. You can keep it super simple with just the basics or take additional time to gather more details. Do What Works Best for YOU.
The main thing to remember is to ask yourself,
"what do I need to know if I couldn't ask (my mom, dad, spouse, etc.)?"
"what do I need to know if I couldn't ask (my mom, dad, spouse, etc.)?"
Download ICE Checklist
Your Emergency Book can be a simple notebook/folder/box. I played around with a few things but eventually ended up adding a few sections to the notebook that holds my Trust documents.
Step 1
Type up an Emergency List
Contact info for your immediate family/friends + accountant, lawyer, etc.
Contact info/Account Numbers/Passwords for Banking, Insurance, Mortgage, Home Services, Investments, Subscriptions, Social Media, etc.
Safe Deposit Box List
Step 2
Important Papers
Keep copies of certain papers at home instead of in your Safe Deposit Box -
Medical Directives, Power of Attorney, etc
Step 3
Duplicate Keys
Gather all your duplicate keys (or have copies made) and label them.
As I had multiple keys, I put them in little snack bags, labeled them and
placed them all into a sheet protector in my notebook.
placed them all into a sheet protector in my notebook.
Step 4
Wallet Contents
Copy all contents of your wallets. Throw them on the copier (front and back).
This is also helpful should you ever have your wallet stolen.
Add each of these components to your Emergency Book.
This is also helpful should you ever have your wallet stolen.
Add each of these components to your Emergency Book.
Another Option: You could also create your Emergency Book digitally. Just take photos/scan the important documents and wallet contents. Keys will need to be kept separately.
Keep the info secure on a USB drive, Evernote, etc.
So whether you choose a physical book or digital copy, make sure to KEEP IT SAFE.
This is very important should you choose to list confidential information such as passwords, social security numbers, banking and more. Password protect everything.
Once it's in a safe location, make sure the person you want to handle your things in an emergency knows where everything is and what the passwords are.
That way, in an emergency, when your stress level is through the roof, you won't have to spend anxious moments trying to find important pieces of info.
So a little bit of planning now, a lot less stress later on.
I ended up creating one for both myself and my mom. As I am now managing so much of her accounts and bills, etc. I'm glad I pulled all this info together in one place.
Here's to less stress!
Happy Organizing!
Love, Steph
