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Article
Paper Records

Prevent Document Demise

By Tara Aronson

Categories: Organizing
Tagged: Filing, Fire Safety, Organizing Strategies, Paper Records, Safety, Storage

Develop a system that helps you find important documents when you need them — and let your spouse or significant other in on that system.

 

Safety deposit box: This is where you should store important papers that would be difficult to replace but that you rarely need to access.

  • Titles
  • Deeds
  • Birth, marriage and death certificates
  • Passports
  • Power of attorney papers
  • Contracts
  • Leases

Fireproof box in your home: This is the best place for storing important documents that you need ready access to:

  • Insurance policies
  • Warranties
  • Wills (give copies to relatives and your lawyer)
  • Bank records
  • Financial statements
  • Pay stubs
  • Stock and bond certificates
  • Receipts for major expenditures
  • Social Security information
  • Tax records
  • Pensions
  • IRAs
  • Retirement plans

Master file: You should have one file that lists all-important documents and where to find them. This is not only helpful for those with poor memories but to protect your spouse and family in case something happens to you. In the master file keep:

  • Photocopies of important IDs, such as driver's licenses.
  • Information on how to replace vital records in an emergency.
  • List of safe deposit box items.
  • List of credit card accounts and numbers.
  • Frequent flyer information
  • List of bank accounts and numbers
  • Social security numbers for each member of the family

The Housekeeping Channel (HC), a for-profit educational LLC, provides the information on HousekeepingChannel.com as a free service to the public. The intent is to disseminate accurate, verified and science-based information on cleaning and housekeeping.

 

While an effort is made to ensure the quality of the content and credibility of sources listed on this site, HC provides no warranty - expressed or implied - and assumes no legal liability for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product or process disclosed on or in conjunction with the site. The views and opinions of the authors or originators expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of HC: its principals, executives, Board members, advisors or affiliates.

Prevent Document Demise:  Created on January 17th, 2006.  Last Modified on March 25th, 2010

 

About Tara Aronson

Tara Aronson

Tara Aronson is author of Housekeeping With Kids. Her San Francisco Chronicle column entitled "Coming Clean" — focusing on household cleaning and maintenance — reaches 1.5 million readers. Aronson is an expert in home cleaning and organizing. Her advice has appeared in numerous national and regional publications, including Ladies' Home Journal, The Washington Post and Woman's World. Visit Tara's Web site.

Aronson is fast becoming a familiar face on national television (Living It Up with Ali & Jack, Soap Talk, The Other Half, CNNfn, etc.) and is also a much sought-after lifestyle expert for local television news and radio programs nationwide.