WFMW - Family Information Binder

Our Important Information Binder 

(also known as a Household Notebook or an Alien Abduction Binder)

I originally wrote about our Family Binder several months ago, but we were talking about it again last night, and I figured it was time to update it and maybe add a bit more detail. This is basically a place to keep all the information that someone might need if I (or whoever else knew the mysteries of household life) wasn't around. Here's the list I used to gather information (not everything will pertain to everyone):

• Personal Information (names and addresses of friends and relatives)
• Legal Items (birth, marriage, death certificates, social security cards, passports, citizenship papers, automobile titles, military documents, organ donation information, power of attorney, wills)
• Insurance Information (medical, dental, life, disability, auto, homeowners, government benefits)
• Financial Information (budget, credit cards, bank accounts, mortgage, property information, property tax, stocks/bonds/investments, contracts, tax records, retirement)
• Historical Information (photos, genealogy)
• Funeral Arrangements
• Household Care Information (utility and repair companies and phone numbers, location of shut-offs for water, electricity, gas, etc.)

Our binder also contains driver's license numbers, the kids' school student numbers, names and addresses of our doctors, computer log-in information for various accounts, the contents of our filing cabinets, combination to our safe, immunization records, a guide to our breaker panels and sprinkler system, car maintenance/repair schedule, etc.

Here are a few links so you can get an idea of what others might have done:

Finance for a Freelance Life

Family Emergency Binder Instructions

Household Notebook 

Ideas for an Emergency Binder

Planning ahead and having an Emergency Binder brings me peace, and that works for me! For more ideas of things that work, visit We are THAT Family!