Categorize and prioritize your data. Things you must have like social security cards, birth certificate, etc to start a life over in a new location you need in that fireproof safe. Sentimental items you could live without. Scan/ take pictures of those and put in a box in the crawlspace/attic, that are nice to have in a planned move but lower priority in an unplanned evacuation.

Backups, make multiple. Keep the most important stuff, the stuff you use every day or required documents on your laptop and a copy on the desktop/server/external drive. Then make regular copies to flash/cd's/dvd's, etc. Always have more than one copy on more than one type of media.

WRT an affordable laptop look for a place that sells 'refurbished' business models. They will last for many years so you don't have to replace them as often. Most of the laptops in my house are 6-10 years old and cost me $200-$300 "new".

Then work down to things like tools and such.
If you want to keep sentimental items in a fireproof box then buy a second one. So you have a small portable for the .gov required papers and a second for other items. Make a list of each box/bag/etc and make a priority.

Something like:
1. Bug out bags
2. fireproof box with documents/backups
3. hotel overnight bag
4. self defense tools
5. additional clothing shelter
6. general tools
7. etc

you start at 1 and depending on the amount of time you have to pack and go work through the list.



Edited by Eugene (08/28/18 01:20 PM)