Creating a Personal Information Binder

You know you should have all your personal information handy, right? What if something happens to you? Would anyone be able to go directly to all the important information about you?

When I was single, this was definitely a concern. If something should happen to me, how would my family know what they needed to know about my life? Where would they start?

And now that I’m married, I’m in charge of all our financial and key information. What if something happens to me and Tim needs to take over?

If you’ve been procrastinating, knowing this is something you need, I might be able to help.

My version of a personal information binder

Based on my own experience and after reviewing other sources, I have created a template that can be used for anyone interested in creating and maintaining their personal information.

Will it work for everyone? I think so. It may require tweaking to reflect your individual circumstances, but I guarantee using this is better than starting from scratch. Why take the time to try to anticipate everything you want to document?

What keeps us from doing this?

Documentation is not something most people like to do. I experienced this at work and it’s a fact at home as well. I actually like documenting information and putting things in order. Yes, I’m a little nerdy. 🤓 After years of wanting to do this, as a retiree, I’ve finally taken the time to do it.

I hope my work can be put to good use and encourage you not to put this off any longer. Not only is it good for others, but as you complete it, you will likely realize there are details you don’t know or simply haven’t considered. This is an effective way to identify what those are so you can gather that information.

An eBook to walk you through it

Rather than just give you a template and hope you understand it, I’ve created an eBook that takes you through the sections of the binder step by step, explaining what types of information could be included.

I will give you a Word document you can edit and a PDF for the binder section pages you can print. It’s that simple.

In return, all I ask is that you let me know how it’s working for you, including if I have missed any key sections or types of information in each section.

Where can I find these documents?

I’ve created a new page on my site called Organization Aids. This is the first such aid on the page but there will be more. Go to this page and you’ll find the documents I’ve referenced above.

I realize even with the eBook, you could have questions. Don’t hesitate to ask me anything, either through the comments below or through my Contact Me page. Don’t assume you’re the only one with questions. Your question might just help someone else!!

This is a new step for me in my blogging life – sharing organizational aids that work for me. I’m a little nervous about putting myself out there but I can handle all critiques. Bring it on!! There will be more so stay tuned.