I am not an expert as to what you should or should not have in your safe deposit box or your grab-n-box at home but here are some ideas or suggestions that have worked for our family. The reason I like a safety deposit box in addition to a fire proof box/grab and go box at home is that we live in tornado alley and a tornado will blow away all of your important records.

Safe Deposit Box:

Original Documents: social security cards, birth or adoption certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, military records, passports.

Property: vehicle titles, household inventory, real estate warranty deeds.

List of Account Numbers: – account numbers, balances, ID’s & passwords, and such information that would need to be accessed.

Backup CD of your computer and Digital/Negative Photos - I keep all of our family vacations and the boys birthday’s in the safe deposit box.  If we have a fire or flood these are the pictures that mean the most to me.

I copied this information from   www.msnmoney.com and would have never thought of this.

“What not to put inside”

Since you’ll be subject to the hours of operation of the bank, don’t put anything inside that you think you might need in a pinch. Banks will be closed at night, on weekends and during holidays, so you have to keep that in mind when you decide what to put inside.

Original documents that shouldn’t go into a safe-deposit box include wills, power of attorney and medical care directives. The originals should be on file with the attorney (this is often governed by state law) who prepared them and copies can go into your safe- deposit box. In the event of your death, others will need to get access to those documents, which will be difficult if you’re the only person allowed to access the box. “

Grab-n-Go Box:

Copies of your medical Insurance Information, immunization records, and copies of your insurance cards

Copies of your home/auto policy insurance along with your insurance providers phone number

Copies of your account numbers

Copy of your child’s latest school records (before Hurricane Katrina we didn’t think of this until it destroyed the school)

Photocopies for your identification

Author Michelle Lehman of Organizing Solutions “Clear the Clutter” Michelle is a Professional Organizer in the Tulsa area. Her articles have been featured in the Tulsa World, The Oklahoman, and The Chicago Post-Tribune & Chicago Sun-Times.  Michelle appears on Newson6 KOTV and Fox23 News This Morning giving organizing tips and recommendations.
Photo Credit © Yuri Arcurs | Dreamstime.com

Tags: grab n go box, organizing, safe deposit box