I HATE TO MOVE!

This month I’d like to introduce a friend of mine, Laurie Long, an emergency specialist. Now before you get excited and email me for her phone number, please note that she doesn’t move pianos, clean up wet basements or rescue us novice drivers when we slide our rented U-Haul into a ditch in Atlanta. What she does do is help us get our documents organized for the big relocation. I think you’ll find her ideas very helpful and practical.

Also, take a look at her website for more great help.
Thanks Laurie for helping us plan a better move.

Yours for a sane move,

Carol

I HATE TO MOVE!
by guest blogger Laurie Long

Have you ever had to pack up your home and move? I have…16 times in my life. Each time, one would think it would become easier, but it doesn’t. I rationalize, procrastinate, and then I face the facts, get boxes and start packing.

Each time I have moved, one thing stayed constant. I had all of my personal, legal, and financial documents already packed. They were in one box, and they are always stored in a closet in my new home for easy access.

I’m an emergency specialist, but this type of organization began over 40 years ago when I had to locate my birth certificate and immunization records. I was still living at home and my parents were out of town. It was one of those occasions before cell phones, and I couldn’t contact them to ask the location of my documents. When they returned from their trip, I made copies of my birth certificate and immunization records; purchased a cheap little fire resistant box and it went with me whenever I moved. Over the years I began to add insurance policies, copies of my auto and driver’s license and many other vital documents. I currently have a fire-resistant box in the closet and several family members are aware of its location in case I am incapacitated.

If you are facing a move to another home start right now and as you are packing, look for all of your personal, legal, and financial documents and put them in one organized, portable file. Label it well and you are all set! THAT box should never be unpacked, and it should be easily accessible.

I’ve created an emergency system called My Life in a Box, A Life Organizer. It is so simple, with only 6 files and one portable folder you can leave your home in 5 minutes with everything you need to rebuild your life in case of a house fire or natural disaster. Then, if you or a family member is in an accident, those documents can be easily accessed by friends or family.As you begin to pack for your next move, first locate the documents and put them in one box. Then sort them and put them in an inexpensive expandable file, store the file in a fire resistant box and update it every 4 to 6 months when new insurance policies arrive. Get a copy of My Life in a Box…A Life Organizer for a complete list of documents.

Be prepared, get organized, and stop procrastinating!!! By doing this simple step as you are packing, you and your family members will never need to look for documents, and they will always be in one place in case of a family emergency or disaster. You will also be better prepared to move…the next time!

Laurie Ecklund Long is an Emergency Specialist
and author of My Life I a Box…A Life Organizer.
She may be contacted through AGL Publishing
www.mylifeinabox.com