The What If? Notebook
The concept of being prepared daily is to prepare today for not matter what tomorrow brings. This process of living often includes the concept of visualizing “What-If this..or that…happens?” We can never visualize all possibilities, but being prepared will allow us to face challenges and overcome them! Although it is important to prepare with commodities such as food, water, sanitary needs, etc, it is also critical that we become ‘paper prepared.’ Everyone has accounts, statements, certificates and other items that we may need to refer to at a moment’s notice. This may be nothing more serious than needing to call the cable company because our TV isn’t receiving a signal. Or it may be as serious as a mandatory evacuation or the death of a loved one.
No matter the scenario, having our ‘paper’ world organized is critical to achieving a state of daily preparedness. The first, and probably one of the most vital, steps in becoming ‘paper prepared’ is to organize and maintain a ‘What-If’ Notebook.
A ‘What-If’ Notebook houses copies of all of the information you need to have at your finger tips. And completing it is really easy! Just follow this simple ‘recipe’:
Ingredients:
-
A 3-ring notebook marked on binding with the words “What IF?”
Some page protectors
Access to a photocopy machine
Blank pieces of paper
Pen
Gather the following documents and place in notebook with page protectors, which will protect the pages and make them easier to access and allow you to quickly add items as you receive them. Your notebook should contain these documents:
-
1. Important ‘certificates’—birth, death, marriage, diploma, divorce papers, titles, Social Security statements, disability, custody agreements
2. Insurance policies—at least front page of each. You can also simply add a bill for the insurance, so long as the statement includes policy number, contact information for the insurance company and type of insurance.
3. Location of will or trust papers. Contact information for trustee or attorney.
4. As bills come in, simply photocopy each of the following and place in notebook (or place an original bill): insurance, utilities, phone, credit cards, mortgage, loans, cable, ‘easy pass’, anything you or someone else might have to shut off, change or refer to.
5. Driver’s license and other important IDs, including passport. Photocopy in B&W at a different size than normal.
6. Names (and relationship), addresses, phone numbers, email addresses of close friends and relatives. . (a friend told me that after they went through a hurricane, she couldn’t remember her own mother’s phone number!)
7. Letter authorizing a trusted relative to discuss your medical care with a healthcare professional.
8. Advanced directive for medical care. Have this notarized!
9. Names & contact information for doctors.
10. Prescription drugs, including dosage, pharmacy & physician. You can ask your pharmacist to print this information out for you. Slip a small photocopy of this into your wallet!
11. Important medical history and allergy information.
12. Who should be contacted in case of an emergency13. Name, phone, address, and email of out-of-state contact persons.
14. Inventory of household goods, especially valuables.
15. Blank paper & pencil
16. Anything else you think you might need to refer to if your entire home were lost, you had to evacuate or face a life-altering change.
As you work on this notebook, keep it in one location. Near where you pay your bills is a great location as you can easily slip in statements and bills as they arrive. Make a note of the location of your notebook and attach the note to your 72-hour kit. That way, you will know where it is and grab it should you have to evacuate. Also let your grown children or other trusted family member know where you keep the notebook.
Your ‘What-If’ Notebook is a recipe for paper preparedness that will make your everyday ‘normal’ life easier, less stressful and more organized!
