amom23
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,409 
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Post by amom23 on May 26, 2015 21:38:17 GMT
I was reading about a pea who was searching for a birth certificate today and it got me thinking why doesn't everyone have that one spot where they keep all of their important documents together?
We keep all of the birth certificates, passports, social security cards, marriage license, etc. in a safe in our home office. I've never had to "tear the house apart" trying to find a particular document. If you don't have a designated spot why not? |
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Deleted
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Oct 7, 2024 17:22:49 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2015 21:41:31 GMT
I don't keep any of them in our home. They are all in our safe deposit box. I do keep scanned copies encrypted on my computer. I personally think it's too risky to keep them in the home, especially all of them together. If someone steals a home safe, you will have a terrible time getting replacements and the thief would have everything they need to completely take over your life.
The risk of fire, theft (especially) or flood is too great. Those things are *possible* in a bank branch, of course, but those vaults are a whole lot stronger and more secure than anything we could have in home.
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hannahruth
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,689
Location: Adelaide, Australia
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Post by hannahruth on May 26, 2015 21:44:50 GMT
We keep these types of documents in a safe at home. We are not in a unpredictable weather situation at all so they are safe.
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Post by polz on May 26, 2015 21:52:00 GMT
I think you will find very few people in New Zealand have a safe. Like less than 1%. I have all our important stuff in a folder called 'House Bible' in my office. DH has his stuff in a couple of drawers all over the house.
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Post by lurkingsince2001 on May 26, 2015 22:05:08 GMT
While we tend to use a safe, but there have been times when one wasn't available. I've read "security experts" as well as convicted felons opinions on where to keep the papers safe. Obviously depending on the amount of papers, they recommended to use a ziploc taped behind or under furniture, hidden in a child's closet, or with feminine products. These are great, unless you are worried about fire or needing to get to the papers in a hurry. And they all said not to have the papers in a folder or binder clearly marked and in an obvious spot like a desk or office.
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Deleted
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Oct 7, 2024 17:22:49 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2015 22:14:53 GMT
Birth certificates, and Social Insurance Number cards are all in an old wallet in a drawer. My passport stays in my purse since I use it fairly regularly.
I have no clue where our marriage certificate is.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 7, 2024 17:22:49 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2015 22:16:16 GMT
In our safe. I have a binder with a sleeve for each family member:
BC,SS,COPY OF DL,COPY OF INSURANCE card & IMMUNIZATION RECORD.
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Post by maryland on May 26, 2015 22:31:18 GMT
haha, that was me! I was going to say "I don't know" because I can't find the birth certificate! I definitely need to get more organized. I am very protective of my photos, and keep them safe. Why am I not about the birth certificate? Maybe because I am dealing with a newborn when the certificate arrives, that's my excuse! I hope to get some good ideas on this thread!
We keep all our important house papers in a safe deposit in the bank. I always got 3 copies made of photos. One we keep, one we keep in one of our 3 safe deposit boxes and one I keep at my parents house. Just in case of a fire/flood. I made copies of all the "journals" for the kids and so one is at home and one is at the safe deposit box. I have 4 hard drives with back up of pictures and they are in different locations. I have 3 copies of our wills (each set of grandparents has a copy). So I am not irresponsible with everything!
My husband does have one more place to check when he gets home from work. I hope he finds it! I did find the birth certificates for my other two kids in their baby books. Made copies and took them right to the safe deposit box. |
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Post by gar on May 26, 2015 22:46:16 GMT
Like polz, all that sort of thing is filed in our office. |
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Mary Kay Lady
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PeaNut 367,913 Refupea number 1,638
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Post by Mary Kay Lady on May 26, 2015 22:53:38 GMT
We have a fire file where those type of documents are kept. I don't understand why people don't keep them all together in a safe place, either.
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Post by femalebusiness on May 26, 2015 22:57:04 GMT
I have a designated drawer where I put all those documents. I like them all together in case I have to grab them at a moment's notice. If I get robbed...Oh well, that would suck, but I'd just have to deal with it. I'm more afraid of Identity Theft from credit cards or the Internet than being robbed.  |
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Post by disneypal on May 26, 2015 22:57:37 GMT
I keep them in a fire proof file box
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calgal08
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Jun 27, 2014 15:43:46 GMT
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Post by calgal08 on May 26, 2015 23:07:07 GMT
In the safe
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Anita
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,703
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Post by Anita on May 27, 2015 0:41:16 GMT
Fire proof box
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Post by MichyM on May 27, 2015 0:45:34 GMT
I've always been an "in a file girl." I'm fairly organized with paperwork. I keep thinking I should get a safe deposit box. There's a bank on the ground floor of my building, so it couldn't be any more convenient......
Offhand does anyone happen to have a general idea of what they cost?
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Post by Eddie-n-Harley on May 27, 2015 0:46:43 GMT
In a folder in a fireproof safe (combination lock) in a locked file cabinet that I inherited. The cabinet itself is huge, heavy, and wedged in a closet, so the odds of a criminal choosing to take that sucker with him is pretty low. My jewelry and electronics are far easier pickings.
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Post by freecharlie on May 27, 2015 0:55:31 GMT
We have a fire resistant/proof (can't remember now) lockbox with everything in it, with the keys attached so we don't lose them. It isn't so much security as it is the fact we know where everything is.
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Deleted
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Oct 7, 2024 17:22:49 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2015 2:28:17 GMT
Slowly raising my hand to acknowledge I have no idea where some of our docs are. I have about half of them in one place..I can't find our marriage cert or my birth certificate or DH's ss card.
In my defense..cuz you know I'm gonna have one..we got married, went on a two week honeymoon, got a puppy, packed our apartment, house hunted and bought and moved into the new house within 2 months. It was quite a roller coaster and I'm still trying to find certain things. I need to just order duplicates and file with the rest of the items Ina fire safe box.
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Post by maryland on May 27, 2015 3:30:54 GMT
Slowly raising my hand to acknowledge I have no idea where some of our docs are. I have about half of them in one place..I can't find our marriage cert or my birth certificate or DH's ss card. In my defense..cuz you know I'm gonna have one..we got married, went on a two week honeymoon, got a puppy, packed our apartment, house hunted and bought and moved into the new house within 2 months. It was quite a roller coaster and I'm still trying to find certain things. I need to just order duplicates and file with the rest of the items Ina fire safe box. I guess you and I are the only ones! My husband and I went through the safe deposit box at the bank after work, and yes, all our important paperwork is there except for the one birth certificate!
My lame excuse is I was in one state, husband in another (new job). He moved to his new job 2 weeks before our first baby was born. I was alone with a new baby for two months and at the same time trying to pack up/clean/sell a house. I had no family in the area to help. I misplaced the birth certificate. But I managed to pack everything in the house by myself, get it sold, all with a newborn. So I was a little absent minded!  It sounds like you were in the same boat with a lot going on all at once!
We thought of an idea to stay organized with our new paperwork. We will get a fireproof safe to keep at home to store anything important until we can get to the bank. (like over the weekend and bank holidays). Only problem is it will have to sit in our tiny closet, so we will have to move our shoe rack to the middle of the bedroom. But the peace of mind will be worth it!
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marimoose
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by marimoose on May 27, 2015 3:53:18 GMT
I keep everything in a fireproof box except for my birth certificate which I do not have. I have not seen it since i was about 20 and haven't needed it. Maybe I should look in to ordering a duplicate. Is it very difficult?
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Deleted
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Oct 7, 2024 17:22:49 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2015 4:07:36 GMT
We have a locked, fireproof safe in our home. It has important papers (passports, birth certificates, marriage licenses, immunization records, car titles) some old photos, photo negatives (I know...WTH are photo negatives) and some other misc valuable items.
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leeny
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Jun 27, 2014 1:55:53 GMT
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Post by leeny on May 27, 2015 4:10:21 GMT
In a tightly sealed Tupperware container in the freezer. I am not going to worry about anyone looking in there for our papers and chances are that the metal box that helps insulate the freezer isn't going to burn up in a fire.
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Post by crazy4scraps on May 27, 2015 4:12:23 GMT
Stuff we may need access to is kept in a fireproof safe, other important/valuable things are in a safety deposit box at the bank.
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Post by AussieMeg on May 27, 2015 4:13:32 GMT
I needed a copy of my son's birth certificate last week for a school application interview and I had no idea where it was. Originally I had everything in a big 4 drawer filing cabinet, but it took up too much room in my study. I started scanning all my bills etc so I didn't need to keep hard copies, and then I saw an idea on Pinterest about keeping documents in a folder (prettily decorated of course!) so I decided to get rid of the filing cabinet. I have now changed my mind so DSO got me a smaller 2 drawer filing cabinet. I haven't gotten around to putting stuff in it yet, so everything is stored in boxes..... somewhere.
(Thankfully I was able to find the birth certificate in a box in the study without too much fuss.)
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LeaP
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Post by LeaP on May 27, 2015 5:48:59 GMT
In an accordion file folder that is in a closet. Our passports are in a drawer in the foyer. We travel to the U.S. every few weeks so it is useful to have them readily accessible. We have had to use our documents so much in the past couple of years. I don't really worry about theft. The electronics would be much easier to steal and pawn. We recently got Nexus cards so they have our fingerprints and the kids' birth certificates on file.
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anniebygaslight
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Jun 28, 2014 14:08:19 GMT
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Post by anniebygaslight on May 27, 2015 6:30:13 GMT
Metal filing cabinet. Ultra important docs, such as house deeds are kept at the bank.
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tuesdaysgone
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by tuesdaysgone on May 27, 2015 10:59:07 GMT
We have a small safe where I keep just a few documents (passports, birth certificates). At least I know where those documents are and can get my hands on them fairly quickly, but in the case of a large natural disaster, I guess everything that is carefully filed in our filing cabinet would be damaged or gone.
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peaname
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Post by peaname on May 27, 2015 11:41:35 GMT
Birth and marriage certificates, savings bonds, passports, cash, a copy of my will, car titles and insurance policies in a fireproof safe in our closet hidden behind an ugly dress.
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Post by cakediva on May 27, 2015 12:16:48 GMT
I need to sit on the bench with the "not sure where it all is" gang.
I know I have the birth certificates in my file cabinet as we just got them a few years ago. When our oldest was born we didn't have $15 to get hers, and then when the second came along, well that meant $30...LOL We had their birth registrations though. So when we needed passports a few years ago, we first had to get the birth certificates for all three kids. So I know where they are.
I think our marriage certificate is in there as well.
Passports are all together in the back of a drawer in another piece of furniture.
The only health card I know for sure I have are mine & DS's - the girls carry theirs on them, as does DH.
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Post by anxiousmom on May 27, 2015 12:29:55 GMT
For the most part, in a file box that can be picked up and moved around.
I say for the most part because I am not the most organized person in the world, so the file box is my attempt to try to be organized. I am sure there are things that are floating around that should be in the box but aren't.
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It sounds like you were in the same boat with a lot going on all at once!
