Do you ever get the feeling every time you roam around your house that you have so much stuff but none of it is listed down in case there is an emergency such as a disaster like an earthquake or tornado?
Conducting a home inventory – advice from a professional organizer
I always think I will remember the number of cushions I have lying around and the type of appliances that are sitting in my kitchen but oh well, it isn’t physically possible to memorize my complete home inventory. It is so important to maintain a home inventory if you want to claim insurance and revive your set of belongings that you collected so lovingly over the years.
You must be wondering, what are the steps that you should take right now to a complete home inventory? Here are the answers to your question from a professional organizer.
1. Belongings belong to a list
Yes, you read that right as all your possessions need to be checked, counted and assembled into a list that you need to keep safe. What kind of furniture do you have? If you’re talking about tables, how many are there in total? The list is crucial as it will help you recognize all your belongings and remind you off all the things that you own.
2. Valuables are top priority
If you have jewelry, car and other high-end possessions that may have cost you an arm and a leg, you should record their make, model and date of purchase along with a few photographs. It is necessary to take this step as you may have to claim your insurance just in case something happens to them.
3. Document with photos and videos
Each item that you have must be clicked with a camera and kept in your record as it ensures that they were present before God forbids, the disaster struck. Photos and videos will help you organize your home inventory and will be a constant reminder that the belongings are important.
4. Keep your inventory list safe
Your computer hard drive isn’t the safest option to store your home inventory so make sure you have kept a physical copy of your inventory printed out and kept far away from the original. It may seem like a hassle but it is so important when there is an emergency and you need to sort out the details. Storage of your home inventory will prove to be beneficial for you as possessions do get destroyed and a soft copy isn’t the best option.
5. Secure the paperwork
All of your properties should be safe and secure so make sure all the paperwork that have legal and financial aspects are protected in a locker of a bank which is the safest alternative. Don’t overhaul the locker and only keep the essential paperwork there.
A home inventory is incomplete without all these steps so make sure you keep them in mind before deep diving into the inventory list. I hope this helps you in organizing your inventory and clears out any doubts and fears regarding documenting your possessions.
