Planning for later? Start with your music

Why music

Most of what you arrange for later is about money, belongings and paperwork. Necessary, but nobody gets excited about it. Music is different: you can think about which five records belong to you on the couch, with your headphones on.

The people around you benefit too. When the time comes, they'll know which music you wanted. They won't have to search or guess.

What you arrange here, and what you don't

Here you save five records and share them with the people who need to know. They always see the latest version of your list. That's all you arrange here: for a will or insurance, you need to go elsewhere.

No lawyer is involved. The people who will be arranging everything later are better off with a list they already know than with a document that's only opened after the funeral.

And then?

With your music sorted, the ice is broken. What can come next, at your own pace:

• Show your list to your partner or your kids, or print it out.
• When the moment is right, talk about what else matters to you, like burial or cremation.
• Write down your other funeral wishes, for example with a funeral director or in a letter of wishes.
• Make an appointment with a lawyer if you want a will or a power of attorney.

You don't have to do everything at once. With your music, you've at least made a start.