How to keep important documents safe in your home

Your home is full of valuable things, but one area that tends to get overlooked when it comes to home security is storing important documents.

Beyond knowing where these documents are, there are some documents, like passports and tax returns, which can be just as tempting to a burglar as your big screen TV or your electronics. And while your TV can be easily replaced, your identity cannot.

Take a look below at the important documents you should store and ways to keep those documents out of the wrong hands.

According to the Australian Tax Office, you need to keep tax records for five years. Some records, such as those connected to an amended tax assessment, information you plan to use in future tax returns, depreciating assets records, capital gains tax assets records and petroleum resource rent tax records need to be kept even longer.

Before you leave on holidays, make a copy of your passport and keep it with you, in case your passport is stolen while you are travelling. It's also handy to have a few passport photos on you as well, in case you need to secure emergency documents while overseas. At home, be sure to lock the passport up.

Likely, your original will is kept with your attorney, but you should have received copies. Keep one in a locked safe at home.

Every family member has a birth certificate. Make copies to keep in your files at home and keep the originals in a safe. You may need to access the information on birth certificates, so keeping a copy close by is a good idea.

A marriage certificate proves your marriage, and as it is a legal document, should be filed away safely and securely.

There are loads of circumstances where you need to prove your address; applying for a passport, opening a bank account or getting your driver's licence. Have a copy of your current address, whether it's a recent bill or bank statement on hand to easily produce proof of your current address.

If you're applying for citizenship, or have successfully gained citizenship of a new country, keep those files secure.

Visas are another document to keep secure in case you need to refer to it—especially for travelling and employment.

The last thing you need if you experience some sort of disaster of accident is to be fumbling through cupboards trying to work out your insurance policy. Have a physical and digital copy filed securely so you can easily refer to it.

For big ticket items it's good to keep receipts and copies of warranties somewhere secure, in case your fridge, TV, couch or car, for instance, becomes faulty and needs replacing. It's also handy come tax time when you need to claim items on tax.

This applies for both renters and landlords—the lease agreement proves the terms of your lease, and it's important to be able to access these if you find yourself in a legal bind.

If anything, your mortgage documents will be useful when it comes to filing a tax return, so have it secure at home so you can share with your accountant come tax time.

If you want to sell your car, motorbike or other vehicle, you'll need your vehicle registration papers. This goes for insuring your vehicle, too.

Now that you know the most important documents to keep safe, you’re going to need to know how to properly and securely store the papers. When storing important documents, you have two goals: keep the information close at hand, in case you need to access it and keep the information safe from theft, fire, or other emergencies.