Wire racks that hold some itemizing the doors can really make those items more visible. Perhaps at least initially you an put sone bli painters tape on shelves to remind people to leave enough clearance so doors closed properly.
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I am starting to do some financial organizing to help when we die. Uplifting I know, lol. I am already pretty organized in the paperwork area, but I need to organize passwords, etc., and have it all in one spot for the kids. I am the keeper of the paper, and this would be helpful for my husband too in case I go first (hopefully many years from now). I am working on a low-tech notebook that has all log-ins, phone codes, etc. I currently have a three-inch binder that has information like bank accounts, etc., in clear sleeves but it needs to be organized better. I have gone paperless for a lot of things, but my goal is to have everything in one spot. It might just be a piece of paper in a clear sleeve that says “look upstairs in the box in my closet” but at least it won’t be as much of a wild goose chase.
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@bearcatfan that is very thoughtful. It’s suggested such instructions be reviewed once a year
I have a question about storing textiles. I have some dresses, shirts on a rolling rack in basement. Considering boxing up to put on shelf. What is good reference?
Some items are fancy formal wear, vintage or custom made dresses or shirts, wedding dress. Folklore items.
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On the after-death instructions - I ordered this (friend recommended). The cover is eye-catching enough to hopefully let it stand out from amongst other family papers! (“Sorry for your loss - It’s me”) lol
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1081837160/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Wondered if anyone has used Grove Collaborative for refillable home cleaning products and skin care? I’m thinking that - in addition to reducing plastic use - it could help with organization by minimizing the overwhelm of product containers and limit buying.
We have an, “If we die,” envelope for ds. He knows where it is located. As that article linked by @Hippobirdy suggests, we do review and update it once a year. We actually do this during ds’s birthday month. It’s not something dh likes to do, but being able to guilt him with the fact that ds will need this information were something to happen to us seems to work better during ds’s birthday month??
Because of my own relevant experience of losing my parents simultaneously when I was young (24 years old) I cannot emphasize the importance of this enough. It is a gift to anyone who must deal with the bureaucracy of someone’s death.
The first pass takes a bit of time, but subsequent years get easier once it is set up. We include a balance sheet with it each year as well.
One side thing to note relative to this topic - if you have bills or monthly subscriptions being paid automatically with a credit card, that credit card (even if you have two cards with each spouse’s name each on a card) is most likely in only one person’s name. So, a list of those things should be included as well and whose card is used on it because the cards in the name/credit of the deceased will be cut off about a month after death. It’s honestly why most everything (except our Netflix bill) is paid through our joint bank account.
All credit cards held by my in-laws had been taken out on fil’s credit. So early on, one order of business was to get mil her own credit card. Thankfully, she had a nice teacher pension along with her SS income, so it wasn’t a big issue. But, it was upsetting to her when she couldn’t purchase her wine at her local liquor store because “her” (which were actually his) cards were declined. So maybe, take some time to review that each spouse (if married) has a credit card in their own name NOW.
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@Hoggirl - like those lazy susans. Can you share where you got them from?
From Amazon.
They have 12” and 10” versions.
https://www.amazon.com/LAMY-Premium-Turntable-Refrigerator-Countertop/dp/B08P48YPMW?th=1
Thanks. Just ordered, one of each size. Will figure out what size works best. I do have a narrow shelf next to the stove where I’d like to fit one of these in.
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Get an old fashioned paper address book. Just make sure what you are writing for the vendors is recognizable to you and your kids, but not to someone crooked! Add new places by letter of the alphabet.
There is also an online password storage thing…I can’t remember the name.
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If you have a Mac you can use Keychain to store all your passwords and then your survivors just need to know one password to unlock the Mac and the Keychain. That’s what we use daily anyway. Too hard to remember all those amazing passwords I create or the computer creates for me.
And my husband who works in IT would be appalled at y’all writing your passwords down in notebooks. He knows my password to get on my computer and I have his on my computer in my Keychain. The kids don’t know it, but we will pass that along at some point. Maybe put it in the safety deposit box.
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That’s it…Keychain!
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Anyone have an idea for this space?? It’s high and above what we use as our pantry which has four pull-out drawers in a cabinet. Because it’s high, I don’t want to put anything very heavy up here. To the left of it we have two cabinets where we currently keep our paper goods. I could move some of those in there, but not all of them. Plus, it’s so narrow! I need something I can pull out, too, because I only have a one-step step stool and cannot reach all the way to the back even when I am on it.
What would you store up here?
What I have in higher shelves that I don’t access much:
Cookie cutters
Extra Vases
extra paper products (throw away coffee cups, holiday napkins/plates)
Holiday mugs (though I got rid of these)
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Pretty much the same here… infrequently used items. I do have to use a three step stool to reach the top shelf.
Vases, pitchers, etc
Holiday paper products, serving pieces, mugs, plates, etc.
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I’d put a narrow rack (it’s designed for platters and lids) in for my cookie sheets for the top and put hand mixer, rolling pin, cookie cutters and other “sometimes but not every week” baking items up there. is the inside shelf adjustable?
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I have been looking a password vaults for the last year and recently was finally motivated to make the switch and chose 1Password. I am even more happy with it than I expected. A friend later told me that one of the others is a bit cheaper, but I’d already done all the work. If you do a password vault take a day and do all the work to set up all the things you use all the time. And then delete all those old saved password from your browser or it can get confusing when that tries to pop up.
I printed off a paper with set up details and hand wrote my master password on it and put that with my estate docs
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@blossom - yes, that shelf is adjustable.
I do have a cabinet that is designed to put cookie sheets, in already. I don’t have a ton of baking stuff, because I don’t bake that much.
I guess my challenge is that I don’t have a lot of items that I don’t use on a regular basis. I could put some paper goods up there, however. The cabinet above the fridge has the same depth/inaccessibility issue as well.
In my opinion, a Bee is someone who has their spices on display, Utensils in a jar on the counter, their copper pots hanging from the ceiling. As a Lady Bug, that would stress me out. But I have tons of collectibles organized and displayed so I guess you can be a mixture. 