If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we NEVER know what’s coming next. There are a million reasons why you should make your own Emergency Binder, just in case!
Pandemics, wild fires, floods, unexpected illness, car accidents – we don’t like to think about these things. While I am not an advocate for worrying or panicking over things you cannot control, I am a believer in being prepared for whatever life throws at you.
Not to mention, being prepared for the unknown can actually relieve some of the worry!
WHY YOU NEED AN EMERGENCY BINDER
Emergencies, by definition, are unpredictable and unprecedented. They often come in quickly leaving us little to no time to prepare.
Having all of your important information in one place can save you time + money as well as physical + emotional stress no matter what happens!
AN EMERGENCY BINDER WILL HELP YOU:
- Prove your identity should you be separated from your family, home, car, pets.
- Assist you in a situation without cell-phone or internet service.
- Receive insurance benefits faster during or after an emergency.
- Store and organize important documents, even for everyday use.
MAKE YOUR OWN EMERGENCY BINDER
STEP ONE: Decide how to make an Emergency Binder work for your family! Do you want a hard-copy and/or a digital copy. I recommend both!
STEP TWO: Gather supplies. You’ll likely want to purchase a 3 ring binder and dividers to stay organized.
STEP THREE: Gather copies of your important documents.
STEP FOUR: Involve the whole family. While we don’t like to think about something happening to us, the whole purpose of an emergency binder is to be prepared for the unexpected. Each member of your family should know where the binder is and how to use it.
STEP FIVE: Decide where you will keep your binder. It should be in a safe place that is easily accessible in an emergency, while still remaining safe + private.
STEP SIX: Update your binder often. It’s a good idea to choose one day of the year to look over your binder. Maybe January 1st, a wedding anniversary or other significant date that you won’t forget. Write that date down in your binder as a reminder!
GATHER SUPPLIES
You’ll want to start off with a binder and maybe some dividers! You can make this as simple or as fancy as you’d like.
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
Once you have your supplies, you’ll want to gather all of your Important Documents. Be sure to include things like birth certificates, marriage license and banking information. Make photo copies of all of these and keep the originals in a safe place separate from your binder.
INVOLVE THE FAMILY
If your kids are old enough to read, they’re old enough to be part of this process!
I get it, this isn’t necessarily a fun family activity. But, this binder will be the most effective in an emergency if everyone knows where it is and how to use it!
As a family, talk about your plan in any given situation. Again, this isn’t about panicking or worrying – but about having a plan. Hopefully you’ll never have to use that plan!
Think about things like:
- A house fire in the middle of the night
- Evacuating your house due to a natural disaster
- An unexpected illness or death
Does all of this sound like WAY too much work?
I get it! That’s why I’ve done the hard work for you!
I created a SUPER AFFORDABLE 36 PAGE printable for you to purchase and print out to create your own Emergency Binder.
This binder will help you save time as you create your Emergency Binder stress-free!
STORE IN A SAFE PLACE
You’ll want to store your Emergency Binder in a safe place that is easy for you to access, but not easy for it to end up in the wrong hands!
Better yet – Purchase a flood + fire proof box for your home!
UPDATE FREQUENTLY
It’s important that you update your Emergency binder frequently! Choose one day of the year to go through your binder and update anything that may have changed. Put a sticky note on your binder to remind you of that day!
In addition, if you go through any major life changes such as a new family member or new house, that’s also a good time to make updates!
I hope this helped you tackle making your own Emergency Binder!
