The Great Aussie Exit Strategy

Someone’s going to have to make a lot of quick decisions when you die.

The best gift you can give your favourite people is a bit of clarity, rather than a giant game of “What would they have wanted?” By leaving a heads-up about your farewell plans, you take the guesswork out of a tough time.

Cremation, burial or something else?
Cheap coffin or fancy casket?
Bra or no bra?
Champagne wake or coffee and cake?
Keep or delete your Facebook page?

The Bottom Drawer Book: the after death action plan is a popular end-of-life and funeral planning tool. It’s full of insights and tips to help you make informed choices about all the bits and pieces you’ve probably never thought of.

This colourful and surprisingly cheery book has space for you to write your life’s reflections and responses to a series of important questions and actions.

Now in its fifth edition, it’s been saving families a world of grief and confusion since 2013.

The Bottom Drawer Book: The After Death Action Plan

Living wills, advance care plans
Wills, medical guardians
Who needs to be told?
The paperwork
Donating your body to science
Pimp my ride: coffin or casket?
Mourning death, celebrating life
Themed funerals
Lifestyle meets deathstyle:
- Traditional burial
- Natural burial
- Cremation
Emerging technologies
Your eulogy
Flowers and donations
What shall I wear?
Your eulogy
Your soundtrack
Your digital afterlife
Emails and social media
Dishing up your story
Blow your own trumpet
People of note
Decluttering
Your bucket list
Plus way more that won’t fit here!

Helping you plan for the inevitable. Hi! I'm Lisa.

Written by Queensland journalist Lisa Joy Herbert and illustrated by Phil Judd, The Bottom Drawer Book will answer your funeral planning questions and gives you a safe space to write your wishes and ideas.

It’ll allow your loved ones to grieve and celebrate the real you, knowing everything is just how you would have wanted it.

Practical info based on Australian services, regulations, and terminology.
Designed to celebrate your real story, becoming a hand-written memento of you.
Colourful, quirky, humourous, and practical.

What people are saying about The Bottom Drawer Book

"I was in the process of trying to write some sort of “instructions” in a notebook, and not doing a very good job of explaining what I wanted. And I had no idea how I was going to get my husband to write anything at all. You solved the problem right away and I put down the pen and went to the computer to order”

“I have ordered 4 books for all the family so we can all sit down and fill in our books together so that our beautifully amazing son won’t be the only one making the hard decisions and we can make it light-hearted and fun. Thank you for making a difficult discussion so much easier.”

“I come from a family who discussed death as part of life and it is rare today. People freak out and think it is morbid. I am so pleased you are changing people’s thinking . Loved the idea of a cardboard coffin with pictures of loved ones on it.”