Take this quick quiz. Think of a room in your home – the bedroom, for example. Without looking in the room, jot down all of the furniture items. Fairly easy to recall? Now list everything on the walls, all the items in dressers, armoires, desks, etc. How much did you remember?
Naturally, most of us hope that we'll never experience a fire, or a weather catastrophe in which we lose most, or even all, of our belongings. But if it happens, it can be a lot less stressful when you're prepared with a comprehensive listing of the contents of your home or apartment.
Here are a few suggestions to get started:
If you have a larger home, or a lot of belongings, starting a home inventory may seem overwhelming. Try breaking the project into several, smaller tasks. For example, inventory just one room a day, or one category of items (furniture, for example) at a time.
Determine how you're going to record your inventory and choose a method that works best for you. Some people prefer to write out a list; others go room-to-room taking photos or videos. Prefer to use online tools? The Hartford offers access to free software you can use to build a home inventory and store it securely online. Visit Know Your Stuff: Home Inventory.
Once you have your list, fill in additional information as best you can – such as dates of purchase, purchase price, make and model, and serial numbers. If you have jewelry, art or other items with high value, talk with your insurance company or agent about additional insurance protection for these valuable items.
However you decide to do your inventory, make sure you keep a copy (paper, video, CD) in a safe place outside your home – such as a safe deposit box at a bank, or with a trusted family member or friend.
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