Pictures and papers

Today is 10/10/10. For those that can read binary, the digits read "42". According to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe, 42 is the meaning of life.

For those of us that are not yet hitchhiking around the planets, we'll need to figure out another meaning to life. Whatever it is, may it never be unpleasant surprises, evacuations, emergency trips to the hospital, sudden changes of plans or anything else that might throw you for a loop.

But.....in case it is, make sure you are ready and prepared. Think for a moment what you would need if all of a sudden you would have to leave your house, or end up in the hospital, or there is an emergency evacuation of the neighborhood. Insurance papers, telephone numbers, some cash, checks, a family photo.....

Sometimes there is no time to go through drawers and piles of paper to find all this. Worse, if you can't get it yourself and you have to send somebody over to the house to get this information, where would you tell this person to start looking?

One easy way to have all you need with you is with an "office binder". It's one place where you keep the most important things you will need in case you need to leave the home in a hurry:

1. A copy of your insurance policies (home owners, medical etc)

2. A list with important phone numbers (doctor, children, family members)

3. A copy of your will

4. Your five most favorite pictures (family, friends, pets....)

5. Other important papers like birth certificates, diplomas etc

6. Your passport, social security card and other identification papers

7. A list of your current medications with doses, grams and frequency

8. A couple of 5,10,20 dollar bills and some loose change

As for me, this is also the binder that I keep my stamps in, my checkbook, empty envelopes and bills to pay. When a bill comes in the mail, I stick it in my office binder so I know where to find it when I get ready to pay my bills for this month. That way I don't have to chase all over the house looking for stamps, envelopes, pens, cards or anything else: it's all in my binder.

The binder I use is one of the sturdier cloth ones that zips up. I keep an extra pen or two, and some birthday and thank you cards in it, and a small notebook so I can jot down thoughts, start a shopping list etc.

TIP: while you're gathering up your insurance papers, check to see that all the information is still accurate. Is the house insured against its value from now, or from the time you first insured it? What exactly is included? Call your insurance agent if you're not sure.

Take some time today, while you watch the game or enjoy some downtime on the couch to sort through your stacks of mail and papers, and start setting those papers aside that you would need in an emergency.

P.S. Is your cell phone charged? Go and plug it in, nothing says "I'm Prepared" like a fully charged phone in the morning! :-)