For Emergencies: Organizing Personal Documents

Torrential rain usually scares me. I hate to have to walk thru puddles, lest I step on something disgusting or possibly get sick. Not a rainy season has passed that I didn’t get a cough or cold.

Though I personally didn’t suffer much from Ondoy, I am traumatized with what some of my friends had to go through. Their cars and houses and electronics and documents, sunk and wet and damaged. That and the emergency preparation reminders at our building and the fact that I am entering a new major phase in my life has got me revisiting my personal files.

Personal Files

Do you already have a personal file? I have my file storage boxes now since I don’t have room for a filing cabinet. My father has a steel filing cabinet. Then, on my wishlist is a fireproof safe. Wouldn’t it be just fun to have one of those, maybe hidden behind a picture frame? And feel like an ultra-wealthy drug lord or CEO, just like in the movies.

Going through my files ala-David Allen’s Getting Things Done, I already have my important documents filed alphabetically in manila folders. For instance, some of my folders include:

• Car – Honda City 2007
• Credit card – Bankard
• Credit card – Metrobank
• Current account – Chinabank
• Life insurance – Manulife
• Life insurance – Sun Life

I also have my folders:

• Apple Macbookpro
• Income Tax Return
• Lease Contract
• Manuals
• Resume
• Transcript of Records
• 1 folder per employer, per investment, …
• … and much much more

Master Information Kit
It’s not enough that they’re sorted there. What if something happens to me or if I need something while I’m out or if I die suddenly or something gets stolen? Lifehacker’s instructions to make a Master Information Kit are very timely. I’ve always been meaning to do something like it, just never got around to it and wasn’t sure how to.

Steps

• Step 1: Gather Your Vital Records to Keep in the Master Information Kit
• Step 2: Export Your Accounts Information
• Step 3: Share Your Master Information Kit and Vital Documents
• Step 4. Regularly Update Your Everything Document

Next Steps
I still have to complete my scanned copies of important docs to be stored in Dropbox and write my will by hand. I do have my Master Information Kit on gDocs ready and have my passwords securely stored and generated by LastPass already.

Everyone should have such a Kit and have their important personal files organized, even in at least a clearbook. DO you have something like this?