Florida and South Carolina Residents Protect Important Papers and Precious Items with Assistance from Professional Organizing Industry
SC and FL residents discover that protecting vital records, important documents and beloved possessions is made easier with a simple strategy. Putting a system into place in the event of an emergency at your home (or office) can save you from spending endless hours recreating, retreiving or repairing documents and items damaged by wind, rain or fire. The International Association of Professional Organizers offers before and after assistance to hurricane victims.
(PRWEB) September 10, 2004
When Tropical Storm Gaston hit South CarolinaÂ’s coast last month, Carmen LynnÂ’s solution for protecting her fatherÂ’s estate paperwork was to move the papers upstairs, where they would be protected from the threat of rising flood waters. When Hurricane Charlie threatened the Myrtle Beach area with tornado warnings, Lynn took a more drastic step. She called the International Association of Professional Organizers (IAPO; www. organizingtheworld. org) to get advice on a better solution for keeping her irreplaceable documents safe from harm.
Martha Ward moved to Florida in June and was preparing to travel to New England on business just as Hurricane Frances was bearing down on the Miami area with vicious force. Unfamiliar with the best way to hurricane-proof her home, Ward also contacted IAPO, who put her in touch with a professional organizer who specializes in emergency preparedness planning.
Armed with the right information, both Lynn and Ward were able to confidently protect their important papers and possessions. Some quick and easy steps you can take include:
• Make copies of all important papers and keep the originals off-site in a safe deposit box or in your attorney’s safe.
• Place your copies and any precious items in waterproof bags (these are available from dive shops; in a pinch you can use Ziploc® bags) and place the bags inside a waterproof/fireproof safe or other sturdy container. Place your safe in the most protected area of your home.
• In the event of evacuation, take your important papers and items (birth certificate, passport, titles, insurance policies, home inventory, back-up computer disks, family heirlooms) with you, in a waterproof bag or container.
“The flooding caused by storms such as Gaston, Charlie and Frances can be even more devastating to homes and businesses than the winds,” said IAPO Executive Director Elizabeth Losher. “The right professional organizer can help relieve the stress of putting your home or office back together again, once the clean up phase is done, and can help you create a system for responding to any future emergencies with greater ease.”
IAPO is the only membership organization within the professional organizing industry to require standards of education and experience for its members. IAPO issues the industry standard Certified Professional Organizer™ (CPO™) designation to qualified professional organizers worldwide. IAPO also provides advanced education, professional development, industry promotion and disaster relief organizing assistance. For more about IAPO or to locate an experienced professional organizer in your area, visit www. organizingtheworld. org
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