There are a million reasons why everyone should have an emergency binder but knowing where to start can be overwhelming. I’ve broken it down and simplified it the best I can.
Trying to gather up important documents or remember important dates, logins etc when something catastrophic happens is the last thing I think I would want to do.
Right?
I tend to overthink everything and, I hate to admit this, but panic. My mind can also go blank when I really need to focus.
Why do you need an emergency binder?
Imagine needing to leave your house because your area is experiencing some major flooding and you need to find all the birth certificates, mortgage info, insurance info, banking stuff and everything else, not to mention you need it all NOW so you can leave in a hurry.
If you don’t have it all in one place, it can be a nightmare to even think about.
Having everything you need, in one place, and easy to grab is essential when it comes to an emergency binder. It takes all the stress and worry out of the equation.
How does an emergency binder help you?
- Store and organize important documents.
- Quickly find documents for insurance claims
- Banking information in one place for the “just in case” scenario
- Keeps records of logins and passwords in one place
Make your own emergency binder.
First, you want to decide how you want your binder. Digital or paper copies? I highly recommend having both!
Next, gather the supplies you will need. I have mine in a 3-ring binder. I also use divider tabs to help me stay organized.
Then you’ll want to gather all your important documents.
You’ll then need to figure out where to keep your binder. Think of a place that you can “grab and go”. However, you don’t want it just sitting out on a shelf. Somewhere safe, out of sight, but easily accessible.
Once a year you’ll want to update your binder. You can go with January first, but I feel like that a lot of people try to do too much around that time of year, so stick with February or October. Sometime of year that doesn’t really have a lot going on. It doesn’t matter when, just pick a time that you want to be able to update it.
Involve your family.
When it comes to emergencies, they can happen at any time. Even if you aren’t at home. It’s important that your family knows about the binder and where to find it. (Along with any other important information in case of an emergency.)
Sit your family down and talk about possible emergencies you could experience. I’m in Utah so I won’t talk about a Hurricane but earthquakes, house fire, flooding or even an unexpected death in the family.
Now that you have your documents. . .
I can’t help you find important documents such as birth certificates and the like, but what I do have is an emergency binder that you just have to fill out.
You can find it here.
Remember, update your emergency binder often. If you have any new life changes such as someone new joining your family, or if someone is diagnosed with something new, or if you move then it’s time to update the binder.
Thanks!
I hope this helped you and your desire to help your family be prepared for any emergency.
A big thanks for being here, learning alongside me. It’s so fun! I’m on Insta, TikTok and YouTube. Come say Hi!
How to prepare for any emergency that could come.