Birth certificates, car titles, passports…there’s a list of documents that everyone should have and know where they are. Schools or sports teams want to see your kid’s original birth certificate today! Or you have the chance for a last-minute trip but where is that passport?
Need to evacuate? We never expect this to happen to us but you never know and it’s best to be prepared. All these documents should be easy to grab in an emergency.
Solution
Important Documents Folder
materials needed:
- Poly folder with 3 prong fasteners
- Tabbed page protectors (dividers)
- page protectors – I prefer the heavyweight top loading style
- business card inserts – these are great for storing ID cards, credit cards, and social security cards in addition to business cards
- label maker (optional)*
- Black on Clear label maker tape (optional)
- security safe (highly recommend having a safe in your home to protect items from theft and fire)
I have a Brother p-touch label maker. I’m obsessed with labeling. I prefer to use a label maker over handwriting because it’s neater. I label things all over my house and is key to home organization. When things are labeled they’re easier to find and easier to put away. Makes it easier for your family who may not know your system.
Suggested categories:
- birth certificates
- social security cards
- marriage license
- divorce documents
- car – title, loan, or lease documents
- voter registration cards
- bank and credit card accounts – keep a list of all bank and credit card accounts. This is also a great place to store a credit card that you keep for emergencies or debit cards to accounts you don’t access often.
- loan documents
- home – mortgage documents, lease, deed
- investment properties documents
- boats, RV, or any other large purchases – point of sale documents, titles, loan documents
(looking at the list I made, I need to update my folder. Always a good idea to update this folder at least once a year)
Step 1: Gather important documents
Step 2: label divider tabs. I prefer to print using my label maker using clear tape with black print and then put this on the white divider tab insert. Labels can be handwritten too.
Step 3: Insert dividers, page protectors, and business card inserts into the folder. If a category only has a single document, I insert it into the divider page. If I have several documents (such as for birth certificates) I will add a few page protectors. The business card inserts work great for voter registration cards, credit cards, debit cards.
Step 4: Add documents
Step 5: Store in a safe place but easily accessible. I store my folder in our security safe because it’s fire-proof and protected from theft.
disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.