The Binder

The end of life or inability to speak for ourselves; it’s something we all have in common but no one likes to think about. When we talk about death, our voices lower. We look around furtively, hoping no one is listening. It’s like talking about sex in the 1950s.

We know our death is inevitable, but most of us prefer to spend our time living with the people we love, planning for the future, eating good food, and having laugh out loud moments where we can get them.

Most of us know someone who passed away unexpectedly, young and before their time. We don’t want to imagine this happening to us, but there are no guarantees in life. It’s important to make sure your exit plans are the way you wish them to be, even if you go on to live a vibrant, long, and happy life.

You know you need a funeral plan. What you don't know is...

When someone passes, there are over 90 decisions their loved ones must make right away. Because of the time and energy it takes to make these decisions, more money gets spent on arrangements than what is necessary or what the deceased person would have wanted. Often, the deceased person’s wishes aren’t known by anyone or haven’t been updated in years.

Begin the Journey

The Binder offers:

A place to store the hard copies of important legal/government information, including the latest version of your will, that your executor will need to access when you have passed or are unable to speak for yourself.
A roadmap to getting your affairs in order. When we don't make a point of reviewing our files, they can get out of date. There are lots of aspects we don't think about when planning our estate and personal affairs.
A process aligned with the official documents the government requires after someone's passing, so you know your loved ones will be able to easily fill out all of the required information without enduring the stress of tracking it down.

Things to Ponder

More Information About The Binder

Do I really need to worry about this now?

If something unexpected happens, are you ready? Do you feel secure in how your affairs will be handled? For example, where will your savings and investments go? Does anyone know that you want to be cremated and your ashes spread in a specific place? Does someone know your login information to various platforms that will need to be disabled? What about your beloved guitar collection, does your sister know that you intend for her to receive that?

The reality is that you need to think about this sometime, and putting it off until you have no choice isn’t a good plan. It doesn’t matter that you feel youthful and invincible today.

Is there more to The Binder Than Death?

The Binder is as much about life as it is about death. It’s:

A place to keep photos you love, messages and letters you want people to have when you pass, and other important details
An opportunity to review your paperwork annually and make sure all your information is up to date
A way to revisit fond memories and share these with your loved ones
A way to get really clear on what’s important to you and your loved ones
An opportunity to take a closer look at how you’re living and taking care of things. For example, in one section you photograph important belongings which helps you check whether you have enough insurance to cover them (and might unearth belongings that are no longer important to you). In another, you review your beneficiaries, which may have changed
About cultivating a better relationship with life and death. Although it is a sad reality to face, contemplating death can bring a new level of gratitude and sweetness to your life

I don't think I can process this alone.

Its ok, you don’t have to! Built into the price of The Binder is 6 hours of one-on-one support time with me. I’m a professional organizer and the designer of The Binder. I’ll make sure this process is clear, simple, and stress-free. I’m here to hold you accountable and support you in retrieving information, planning your next steps, and making sure everything is covered.

A gift for your loved ones.

Having experienced the chaos and deep sadness after an unexpected passing firsthand, I want to leave behind an easy path for my children and loved ones when I go. I want them to have all the information they need so they can mourn and heal, rather than spend hours on the phone tracking down insurance codes that require my signature, hacking into my password-protected Facebook account, and trying to make the hard decisions I should have made when I was healthy and of sound mind.

Why The Binder?

As a mother, the entire lives of my children I have been taking care of them. This role adjusts and shifts as do their needs and wants. But one thing remains: the love of a mother and the inherent role to take care of and protect our children. This feeling is where my love of organization was born, out of need. I needed to spend more time with my children instead of doing tasks and chasing my tail. It is also this feeling that had me sitting in the office of a funeral home trying to answer questions that no one really wants to think about. But it is necessary for so many reasons and the biggest one for is the last act of taking care of my children.

Comfort & Peace

More money is spent on arrangements from grief and obligation than what is necessary of what the person would ever have wished for. One of the last things we want to leave behind is a mound of debt from our final ceremony, whatever that looks like.

The binder is a place to start the conversations and get your wishes laid out all in one place. I believe that preparing this binder for oneself will open up dialogues and make one feel more at ease knowing that this has been done for loved ones during a difficult time.

Preparing this information and going through the process is so important, but sometimes it’s difficult to know when and where to start. I will work with you through this process, creating space to have the tough conversations inwardly as well as with our loved ones. Having a plan in place is comforting to me but it will also make life easier for our families in a tough time.

I hope you find comfort and peace in this difficult but necessary binder.

Begin the Journey

The Binder

The Binder

You know you need a funeral plan. What you don't know is...

The Binder offers:

Things to Ponder

Why The Binder?

Comfort & Peace

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Consultations Are Free!