Planning ahead isn’t morbid — it’s one of the clearest gifts you can leave the people who love you. Here’s a checklist to work through at your own pace.
1. Decide the basics
– Burial or cremation
– A specific cemetery, crematorium, or scattering location (if any)
– Religious, cultural, or secular service preferences
2. Capture the details that matter to you
– Music you’d like played
– Readings, poems, or passages
– Who you’d want to speak, and any specific memories you’d like shared
3. Gather the practical information your family will need
– Your will, and where it’s stored
– Power of attorney documents
– Bank, insurance, and superannuation details
– Any prepaid funeral plans or policies
4. Think about your digital life
– Photos, videos, and music you want included in a service
– Access instructions for accounts your family may need to close or memorialize
5. Write it down somewhere safe and accessible
A plan only helps if the right people can find it when they need it. Store it somewhere secure but accessible, and let at least one trusted person know it exists.
6. Revisit it
Wishes change. Set a reminder to review your plan every couple of years, or after any major life change.
Lifebook Memories gives you one guided, secure place to work through every item on this list — and share access with the people who’ll need it, when they need it.
Next up in the content plan: “How to Talk to Your Family About End-of-Life Wishes.”