Digital organization
Make an account inventory without collecting passwords
An account inventory can record which services exist, why they matter, who controls recovery and when to review them without containing a single password. Store the type of recovery method, such as a phone number or a backup email, and leave the details out.
A text to start with
I want an inventory of my online accounts for [personal use, household or small group]. Categories I care about are [email, banking, shopping, health portals, subscriptions, social, work]. For each service I want its purpose, who owns it, what type of recovery method it uses and when to review it. Suggest columns and a review routine that never include passwords, codes or account numbers.
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.Account inventory
Inventory kept at: [ ] Last reviewed: [ ] Next review date: [ ] Service name: [ ] Purpose: [ ] Owner: [ ] Other people who rely on it: [ ] Recovery method type: [authenticator app / backup email / phone / other] Recovery method checked on: [ ] Review action: [keep / close / update recovery / transfer ownership] Notes, with no credentials: [ ] Accounts that reset other accounts: [ ] Accounts with unclear ownership: [ ]
What must stay out
Scan the finished list for anything a stranger could use: passwords, one-time codes, recovery codes, security answers, full account numbers or the exact email address tied to a recovery. Record the type of recovery, such as authenticator app or backup email, not the value. Decide where the list is kept and who else knows it exists, since a list in a shared place can expose the very accounts it describes. Note shared accounts and who owns each, so responsibility for checking recovery is explicit.
Ask another agent to check the result
Remove any password, recovery code, security answer or sensitive account identifier from the inventory and the instructions. Confirm that recovery methods are recorded by type only. Flag any column or example that would give someone access if the list were exposed.
Fill in the first ten
Start with a small group of accounts you would most need to recover in an emergency, such as your main email and accounts used to recover others. Fill in each row, then check each recovery type against the service's current account settings. Store the finished list somewhere you control and set a review date. Keep passwords in whatever password manager you already use, separate from this list.