Now that you have all your vital documents, where’s the best place to keep them safe? Here, organizing experts suggest storage strategies for any budget.

1. Consider getting a bank safe-deposit box (annual fees for small boxes start at about $45), and stash original documents there, says James V. O’Connor, president of Clutter Control, a home-organizing service in Lake Forest, Illinois. Keep copies in your house if you might need to refer to them, and consider giving another set to a family member who doesn’t live with you or a trusted friend. Keep one key to the box in the house and another with a trusted friend or relative.

2. Another option is to purchase a fireproof safe for your home (from $37, www.besafefiles.com). “It’s a heck of a lot more convenient than running to the bank,” says Barry Izsak, president of the National Association of Professional Organizers. “Look for a safe that can be bolted to the floor and has at least a one-hour fire rating. And if you live on a high floor, opt for one with impact protection as well.”

3. If that’s too much of an investment, Lisa Zaslow, founder of Gotham Organizers, in New York City, suggests keeping all your most important documents in a single accordion file in a file cabinet (a bright color will make it easy to spot), so you can grab everything quickly in an emergency.

4. Consider your home’s location when you pick the right spot to store your key documents: “If you live near the coast or in any other flood-prone location,” says Zaslow, “don’t put them in the basement — think attic.”

5. Let someone else know where your key documents are located, in case you’re unable to access them when needed.