List where things are, not the things themselves: key papers, spare keys, the safe or lockbox, phone-unlock instructions, the water, power and gas shutoffs, first people to call, and pet care. Never write passwords, codes or account numbers. Give a copy to one or two trusted people, and review it once a year.
Sources: National Institute on Aging: Getting your affairs in order checklist; Ready.gov: Financial preparedness. Sources checked 2026-10-15.
A household map is a single page that answers one question: where is it? It lists where the important papers, keys, shutoffs, and contacts are, so a partner, adult child, or house-sitter can find them in a hurry. It doesn't hold the papers themselves, and it never holds passwords. It just points.
It's the smallest useful piece of household planning. If you have more time, our emergency binder guide covers the fuller version. This guide is general information, not legal, medical, or financial advice.
A thick binder is great once it exists. A single page is something you can finish tonight. It's also the part people reach for first, because in a stressful moment nobody wants to read. They want "the deed is in the gray file box, top shelf of the hall closet."
Use three columns: what it is, where it is, and who else knows.
Papers - Will or trust - Health care proxy, living will, and financial power of attorney - Insurance policies (life, health, home or renters, auto) - Deed, mortgage, or lease - Car titles - Birth certificates, passports, Social Security cards - Recent tax returns - Bank, retirement, and investment statements
Keys and access - Spare house key, car keys, mailbox key - Safe, lockbox, or safe-deposit box (where the key or code is kept, not the code itself) - Storage unit or garage remote - How to unlock the phone and computer: where the instructions live, or which password manager has emergency access set up
The house itself - Water main shutoff - Electrical panel - Gas meter or shutoff, if you have gas - Tools needed for the shutoffs. Ready.gov includes a wrench or pliers to turn off utilities in its basic emergency kit. - Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm batteries, furnace filter size - Sump pump, water heater, or anything else with a quirk
People and pets - Five to seven people to call first, with phone numbers - Doctor, pharmacy, and where the medication list is - Pet food, vet, medications, and who could take the animal
Final wishes - Where any written funeral or memorial wishes are, even if it's one note
The map should be safe to hand to a house-sitter. That means:
If you're stuck on where to start, walk the house with the page in hand:
Date the page. Look at it once a year and after any big change: a move, a new car, a new bank, a marriage or divorce, a new diagnosis, or a death in the family. Crossing out and rewriting is fine. A messy, current map beats a neat, outdated one.
If a parent has just died and you're the one searching, our What to Do When a Parent Dies checklist walks through the first days and weeks.
Want it ready to fill in? Where Everything Is is our free two-page fillable sheet (pay what you want). Page 1 is the map, with rows for papers, keys, devices, pets, and funeral wishes. Page 2 is "Who to Call First," with contacts and medical basics.
General information for households. Not legal, medical, financial, or tax advice. For wills, powers of attorney, and medical documents, use official state forms or talk with a qualified professional.
Updated 2026-10-15.