Family Documents: What You Need

Today, it’s an updated post about Family Documents and what you need in a binder. About 10 years ago I designed my FREE emergency binder content information for my family, friends, and neighbors.

When I would watch the news on TV the reporters would sometimes mention: “they had 15 minutes to evacuate their homes.” I knew I had to put something together for anyone who would want some way to store their important documents so they’d be readily available in case of an emergency evacuation.

It’s something compact so you could grab and go with it, I started this project with my neighbors, family, and friends.

I provided the printed cardstock along with the zippered pouches and photo pockets. My binder choice was a zippered one to contain all the contents stored inside so it would protect the contents, particularly from water damage.

Let me explain how I designed these. I scribbled the pages on some paper I had designed in my head and my sister Carol took the ball and ran with it. That’s how this all started.

I couldn’t have made these without her. She is amazing with her computer skills.

Please remember, always store your Family Documents Binder in a safe secure place. You can grab your binder when you need to leave your house in a hurry with your 72-hour kit or bug-out bag. I also suggest you attach a name tag to your 72 hours kits: Free: 72 Hour Kit Tags

Family Documents: What You Need

FREE Family Documents Instructions:

1. I have the link for you to easily print these pages at the bottom of this post. I suggest you get some colored tabs (ten tabs) to go with your binder like these: Avery Extra wide Ready Index Dividers, Laser/Ink Jet, 9.5 x 11 Inches, Assorted, 10 Tabs, 1 Set (11165)
2. Get some zippered binder pockets like these: Cardinal Expanding Zipper Binder Pocket, Clear, 3/PK (14201)
3. I used baseball cards pages or photo pages similar to these: Avery Horizontal Photo Pages, Acid-Free, 4 x 6 Inches, Pack of 10 (13406)
4. I also purchased binder pockets like these: Avery Binder Pockets, Acid-Free, Pack of 5 (75254)
5. Page protectors like these: Avery Standard Weight Sheet Protectors, Pack of 25 Sheet Protectors (75530)

Family Documents Content:

Tab#1:

“Emergency Contact Information” is a section to collect home and cell phone numbers of family members, friends, etc. These are numbers we might not remember in a real disaster or emergency. We are so used to having the numbers stored in our cell phones or emails stored on our laptops, etc.

What if we can’t use our cell phones, then what? What if we can’t use our laptops, then what? This is why we need these numbers or emails in your “Food Storage Moms Emergency Binder”.

Photo Pockets: It’s a good idea to have two pictures of your family members or friends in case you get separated in an emergency. This way you keep one picture and you post another picture of someone on a “search and find” wall if you get separated.

Tab#2:

“Bank and Investment Accounts” is a section I designed to fill in your bank/investment account numbers, bank/investment phone numbers, bank/investment addresses, or email addresses.

If you need to dash out the door in a real disaster or unforeseen emergency, you might need these numbers if you can’t return to your home in a reasonable amount of time. I suggest you take copies of all of your credit and or debit cards (front and back) for two reasons:

If you lose or have your wallet/purse stolen you have the card numbers and the phone numbers to reach the credit/debit card companies to report your loss.

Tab#3:

“Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates, Religious Documents, School Graduation Papers,” etc. This is where you will place your original, or copies if you prefer, and they are ready to grab and take with you if you need to leave your home in a quick evacuation situation. They are all together in this binder, just grab and go.

Tab#4:

“Zippered Bag” is for your original passports, copies of your driver’s licenses, concealed weapon permits, Social Security cards, Medicare cards, etc.

Tab#5:

“Medical/Dental Information” and “Insurance Information.” If we need to leave our homes unexpectedly, we might be glad we have our doctor’s, dentist’s, and pharmacy names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, etc. We can include a sheet that lists medical issues we have, medications, and dosages we take.

We might need the drug’s name, dosage, and how often to take it. Please write down any allergies you or a family member might have.

We might need our insurance policy numbers, agent’s phone numbers, and addresses. We might need our Medicare/supplemental insurance coverage documents. If we have this in our binder we are good to grab and go.

Tab#6:

“Accounts/Website Access Codes” this section needs to be kept in a safe place, as well as all of the documents listed above in all the tab areas. This section would be important if someone in the family is hurt and the other family member has no idea how to gain access to your joint accounts.

If you need to check your accounts and you can’t go back to your house you will at least have these facts to “carry on” with your everyday family matters.

Tab#7:

“Zippered Bag” is available to start collecting small bills like ones and fives. If we lose power the ATM machines will NOT work. The GAS PUMPS will NOT work. You will need small bills to pay for things.

The stores, gas stations, etc. may not have change for a $20.00 bill. Period! Please start putting small bills in this zippered bag. You will be glad you did.

Tab#8:

“Titles” this section is where you’ll want to place your titles to cars, boats, motorcycles, trailers, etc.

Tab#9:

“Will/Family Trust” is where you could place the most important sections (copies at least) of your trust and/or wills.

Tab#10:

I left this section empty so you may put anything else that you may need or want if you have to leave your home ASAP. This might include company organizational information if you have ownership in a company. It may include burial plot and funeral plan information. You also may want to include stock certificates if you have them.

It may have adoption or divorce papers that you want to refer to from time to time. Again, anything you feel is important to you and your family that hasn’t been addressed in one of the other tabs.

When you have an emergency in your neighborhood or community, if you have the binder sheets completed and your important documents in a binder you can grab them and leave feeling more confident that you’ll be ok. Please remember your prescriptions, pets, and pet care. May God bless you for your efforts.

Food Storage Moms FREE Printable Emergency Binder Please be patient for it to load and the PDF document should show up on your computer on the bottom left side of your laptop or computer monitor.

Once the document finishes loading it will be ready to print. I prefer printing it on cardstock, and it’s actually in color if you want to print with a color printer. I hope you think seriously about today’s post, Family Documents: What You Need! May God Bless this world, Linda

Survival food storage by Linda