Inside Here Lies... Everything Binder Grab and Go

For about two years I've been attempting to make a bullet binder, home organizer binder, or whatever you want to call it. I did a lot of research on what other people have done, and what's for sale. But nothing I tried seemed to fit. For me, it must be uncompleted - simple a kind of all-in-one binder. I wanted something that I could use to keep track of finances, bills, and have those important documents in one binder. I'm so lazy about keeping up with paperwork that my filing cabinet literally ends up with everything in one file!! That's my next organizing project.

Nothing like a disaster to get you motivated. In September 2018, Columbia Gas literally blew up my community and took 2 others out as well. We're still trying to get our home back to where we were pre-blow up. And Columbia Gas is coming back to inspect (again) all the appliances they had to replace and work on fixing all the outside issues they created.

On that fateful afternoon, I was sitting at my desk right outside the closed-in area where our gas furnace and hot water heater, and gas dryer are located. So, yeah I could have been blown up. What saved me was a post on Facebook from my friend down the street stating strong order of gas. I headed upstairs and the smell of gas was overwhelming and then I heard sirens - all kinds of sirens. We were all told to evacuate our homes. Then we were told we had to leave the city. And I thought I'm screwed I don't really have all my stuff together - I don't even know where I put my homeowner insurance policy.

So here it is six months later and I've done enough research, collected all my paperwork and I'm ready to finally put together my all-in-one binder.

I purchased the binder at staples, it was on sale for 5.00!  I purchased this trading card plastic protector for $4.99 for 10 sheets to store copies/original of drivers licenses, social security cards, insurance cards, credit/debit cards, etc.

And then I found a great site Moritz Fine Designs Life Management Binder to download forms that would help me keep track of everything and things I never thought of.  That cost was $24.00. And it's a bargain. It's a PDF download and it's mine forever. I can reprint sheets forever. 

Each sheet I place in a sheet protector. For example the insurance tracker - behind that I store my insurance policy. 

Here's a sampling of those tracker sheets I am using. Although I am not finished I'm making progress. This is a bigger job than one might think.

Utilities and Services - Bank Accounts

Home Maintenance Contracts and  House Update Tracker

Bill Tracker

Password Tracker

  

Birth Certificate, Drivers License, Credit Cards.

Donation Records

Insurance Personal Records

Take your time - do it right.  As I make this binder, I have found there are a few forms I need that were not available in that download and I'm going to ask the company to make those for me. 

So for about $30.00 I have my all-in-one binder!  And while my binder is not 100% complete yet, I have peace of mind. 

Update:

And here we are in September 27,2019 - we have another gas crisis. A smaller section of the city! A gas main was punctured. At about 3:30am those first on scene reported a gas plume rising out of the street. We received a call from a family member and were told to go outside and shut our gas off - there is a serious gas leak. For several minutes it felt like September 13,2018. My grab-and-go binder was ready and in a bag. I actually had it on the kitchen table - ready. It was a small comfort. 

In 2018 we had access to the police scanner and we knew what was going on - that was our only lifeline. The police scanner for the city has been encrypted. For police safety, we're told. I do not believe that is the reason for one second. If that were true then New York and Boston to name two cities that had terrorist attacks would also be encrypted. In this city, it's all about 'controlling the message.'   Just like this last gas leak - we're told was the fault of Columbia but... it seems at this point

They set up a 'Code Red" App - which did not go off.  So... again they controlled the message.  

Updates when/as needed.