I really am not a negative person. I think positive thoughts, I say positive words and I believe that good things happen to good people! Live right…do right and everything will be all right! But are you prepared for an unexpected event?
It happened in my family this month.
The unbelievable event happened…robbery. Our minds first asked – why and then who? And after getting past the initial shock, the question was “what” to do.
The first thing to do was to be thankful. Yes…absolutely 100 percent thankful that no one was hurt. It could have been much, much worse.
The second thing to do was to make a list of what was missing.
Third – figure out whom to call to replace the items (mostly important paperwork). We worked together to put first things first to make sure that we called the right people and got the ball rolling for as much as we could, before the holidays came. The reality was that not everything would be taken care of before the holiday, and we had to be ok with that. Thinking anything differently, would only cause more frustration.
Ten days later, there are still a few things left to do. Together we are working on staying focused to make sure that everything is resolved.
The lessons learned from this event:
1 – Keep your family in the loop. Let them know where you store your important documents. Let them keep an “everything” list.
2 – Document the following:
a) Attorney’s name and contact information.
b) Name of insurance companies.
c) Driver’s license numbers.
d) Passport numbers and information.
e) Extra copies of wills, living wills and power of attorney.
f) Name of bank and account numbers.
g) Credit card account numbers and contact information.
3 – Stay calm. Although this is not easy to do, it will help you accomplish more.
Not everyone is organized…I get that. It can be years (or even decades) since you thought about your will, trust,living will, etc. Unfortunately, you can save yourself and your family members a lot of stress and overwhelm by taking a look at that information and making sure that it is all in good order. Laws change. Your paperwork may need to change to.
I hope that sharing just a little of my experience will make you think about getting organized. It’s more than just your space and things.
Read More:
Linda Clevenger, Organization Direct, Entrepreneur of the Week
Columns by Linda Clevenger
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