Hi Fellow OZ bargainer,
How do you keep kids birth & citizenship certificates, to be long lasting and undamaged.
Friend of mine warns not to laminate them.
So, I've put them in thick paper bag and placed it in plastic box.
As I don't want them to put in frame and hang on the wall.
They are not cheap and hassle to get renew/reapply when damaged.
Would like to hear members ideas of best ways to keep them safe and securely for long periods.
safety deposit box
The cost of that (long term) just for keeping these kinds of documents would outweigh the cost of applying for them to be reissued…
EDIT: for Australian documents at least. The hassle and cost of replacing overseas documents would more than justify getting a safety deposit box.
When you do your Will, you could ask your solicitors to hold on to those documents as well in their Deeds. Most would not care, if they are already holding documents for you in their Deeds (i.e. Wills, contracts, etc).
Keep electronic copies and only get out the originals to certify copies.
We keep ours on the photocopier/printer glass. Probably not the best place.
Get a few certified copies for future use. It's also handy to have a scanned copy on the computer or on CD. Use acid free paper or envelope to store them in fireproof safe deposit box at the bank or in a home safe. If large, the alternative is to roll them up with an acid free sheet between each certificate and place in round container/cylinder to avoid creasing/folding.
How much are they a hassle/expense to replace if lost? If kids are born in Aust, then while you're here it shouldn't be too bad. So it's probably okay to just keep them in your filing cabinet or wherever. If they're from OS then maybe you want to keep them in a deposit box in the bank, and just keep some certified copies at home. Especially if your kids have other ID like a passport, you might not need them as often.
This is what I do:
In the envelope they came in, or another thick-ish envelope, along with a piece of cardboard of the same size, and kept somewhere cool, dry and out of the sun. Also, other than not laminating them, separate them (if you're keeping more than one in the same place) with pieces of blank paper so they're not in contact with each other.
In our fireproof house safe.
Waterproof ?
Nah I don't live in Queensland.
Photocopy them, laminate the copy
Make several copies.
Put original in an envelope in a file cabinet.
Some of you are being too precious. I've had them sitting in a small closed supposedly fire-proof tin for more than 40 years and they are just fine. They don't self-destruct.
I have a firebox which is waterproof also. Have passports, birth certificates etc in it plus a usb with scanned receipts and life insurance policies
Bunnings sell the fire boxes for about $60
Thinking they might get into politics?
I have mine along with my passport and all documents in one of the drawers of my bedside table. Looking at the responses here, I think I might be doing it wrong.
Nah my family does that too.
Shoved in a draw in a fire proof envelope.
In the envelope they came in and stuck in a file. You don't need to look at them very often just when getting passports and starting school etc