Step two: Document what legal documents you have, and what you can't find. Make a title page or cover sheet for your folder of legal documents that states what you have included in the folder, and make a list of specifics that are missing. You will also want to make sure that you have a few copies of what you have so that when you are ready to get new copies of each of these you know exactly what you need to get.

Step three: Know what it is that you need: property deeds, car titles, wills, birth certificates, financial records, insurance policies, social security documents, official documents like your passport, citizenship papers, etc.

Step four: Make copies of everything. This is important so that you have everything you need in duplicate in case of accident etc. It is also good for many other obvious reasons. For example, if you have a copy of your deed to your house you can easily refer to it, highlight important parts, etc. when you want.

Step five: Separate. If you want to safeguard your legal documents you need to make sure that you separate the copies from the originals. You are going to be taking extra precautions with the originals, so make sure you know which are original, and which are simply copies.

Step six: Organize copies at home files. This means make sure that your file is in the same order as your cover sheet so that when you need to find something it is easy to find. It is best if you do your cover sheet in alphabetical order, that way it is simple to find a place for new items. Or, you can do it in order of date. For example, your birth certificates, social security cards, marriage certificate, birth certificates of children, home deed, car title, etc. You will probably want to keep a lock on the cabinet you keep them in so that a thief or a stranger who enters your home does not have easy access to your information.

Step seven: Place originals in safe deposit box or fireproof safe or cabinet. So, you are going to keep your copies at home, and you are going to put the ones that really matter, the originals into a safe place. This is part of safeguarding, it means that your documents are literally safe. You have them somewhere that is built to withstand hazards, like fire, flood, etc. But you still have access to the information you need off them by having copies easily accessible at home.

If you follow the above steps you will be able to keep your legal documents safe. You will be able to make sure that you have all of the necessary legal documents at your fingertips, and the ones like your social that are super important kept safe from theft.