Making a Home Inventory List

Start Your Inventory

Many people suffer losses and then get stuck trying to remember everything they owned. Could you remember all of your possessions if they were destroyed by a flood or fire? Keeping a current home inventory will help you get reimbursed from the insurance company much faster. When you can prove what you have lost it makes it much easier for the insurance company to settle your claim.Start by making a list of your belongings, keeping track of serial numbers, makes and models. If you have original receipts or appraisals you will want to save those with your list. I have found that it is easiest to classify things by categories, shoes, jackets, electronics, etc… Call your insurance agent for more info, visit the link in the sidebar on the right, they are a local Utah insurance agency that is very helpful.

Here are few tips to get you started:

- Don't get overwhelmed

If you are a new homeowner, starting an inventory list should be pretty easy. If you’ve been living in the same house for a while though this might be a little more work. Think of it this way though; it is better to have a small list than nothing at all. Get your list started with your most recent purchases. Then, maybe the following weekend go through your house and get all of your most expensive belongings on the list. The following week you can add all of your favorite things. If you take an approach like this it is much easier.

- A Picture’s worth a thousand words

In addition to your list, you should take pictures of rooms and important (sentimental and expensive) items. On the back of the pictures, describe what is in the picture and try to include the brand and price.

- Videotape it

Walk through your home and videotape your belongings. As you do, tell the camera about the stuff. If you don’t have a camera try to borrow one from a friend or relative.

- Use a computer

Use your computer to manage your list. You can buy personal finance software packages that have a homeowners room-by-room inventory program. Or, to save money you can create a spreadsheet on excel. It doesn’t matter how nice the list looks as long as it has the important info your insurance company will need.

- What to do with the list

Once you have your list you will want to make sure it is kept in a safe place. The shoebox in the top of your closet is not a safe place. Remember if your home is flooded or burns to the ground that shoebox is going with it. The best thing to do is give a copy of your list to a friend or relative that lives far away from your house. So if you live in Salt Lake, send it to someone in Provo. Imagine if a natural disaster like Katrina happened and your list was stored at your neighbor’s house. It’s probably going to be destroyed.