Organize all the documents you need for tax, insurance, refinancing, and eventually resale purposes, and add them to a comprehensive home file. You may want to invest in an accordion folder, a file box, fire safe or other container to keep files together. Consider renting a safe deposit box to safeguard vital records, such as your deed, your mortgage note, title insurance and homeowners policies, and your will.

Your permanent house file should include:

• Purchase data
  Original listing of your house, comparable market analysis, any notes you want to save.

   

• Closing data
  All papers signed or given to you at closing, including your deed, mortgage note, settlement statement, title insurance policy, appraisal, disclosures and other forms.

   

• Loan data
  Original loan application, record of payments, list of documents required by lender (you may need these if you refinance).

   

• House data
  Blueprints, floor plans, architectural records, historical information.

   

• Home inspection report
  Record of your house's condition at time of purchase; which can be a useful guide for home maintenance

   

• Other inspection reports
  Termite, lead, radon, asbestos, soil or other reports. Keep any receipts for treatment or repairs.

   

• Insurance
  Homeowners' insurance, flood or earthquake policies; a list of your home's contents and estimated value with photographs or videotape to document (keep a copy in your safe deposit box, if you have one).

   

• Home improvements
  Ongoing record of major home improvements made and receipts (for possible tax use when you sell the house). You may want to divide these into major remodeling, minor improvements and landscaping categories.

   

• Property taxes
  Tax bills, record of payment.