The Importance of Making A List

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Why is it important to list our home contents??Read on to find out!

?The valuables in our home are more than just contents – they are items full of memories. ?

Family photos albums, videos, awards, and personal documents are literally an extension of ourselves and our loved ones.?

Like the wedding ring my wife’s grandmother mailed to her via the US mail. (Wedding rings, and dresses handed down from one generation to the next. Or a prized cookbook!)

?And then there are the other contents that make a house a home. These include furniture, cookware, paintings, electronics, and appliances. It extends further to other important items like tools, books, and business documents, the list goes on.

?Why it’s important:

?Imagine if something does occur, and we’re expected to remember all the items we possess. Heck, I barely know what’s in my kitchen pantry, let alone, all the items in every room of my house, garage and car!

?Recording these items provides proof. Although many of the memory items, if lost, are irreplaceable, it is still important to have a record of all the valuables in our home in case they are damaged or stolen. Whether we own or rent our residence, our insurance company will most likely require it for a replacement claim.

?Recording items is a proactive and positive step to help get through a tough time should a loss occur. Knowing you have your beloved items documented as proof also gives lends added support at an emotional level during the whole process.

?What an ideal inventory includes:

• A description of the item (make/model, etc.)
• Estimated value.
• Purchase date.
• Receipts.
• Serial number.

?Regarding receipts, if we can keep them, great. If not, we can simply provide a count for general items like this, 99 dress shirts, four suits, six ties, 6 pair of shoes.?So, I like shirts.

?Also make a note of any unique or extraordinary items, like cufflinks that your great grandfather passed down to you or your prized Montblanc pen set.

?How to do it:

• ?Making a list is the best way to start: I always start with a pad of paper.?(Old school, I know!) or use your laptop.
• By room.?For each room, record all the contents in that room. Remember to document the small stuff as well – on shelves, in drawers, etc.
• By item groups.?Identify categories or groups and record all the items in each group, for instance, clothes, collections, jewelry, artwork, kitchen, furniture, etc.
• ?Take photos and/or video:

1. ?A simple way to do this is to use a cell phone, walk through your home and record each item. As you do this, describe the item and its estimated value. (This seems like the easiest to me, just make sure to video or photograph inside of closets and drawer’s).

?Important tips:

• ?Review and update the inventory each year. This helps to easily keep our contents current because we only must document the items we’ve recently acquired or still have.
• ???Keep appraisals of specialty items.

1. This could include items such as fine art, antiques, jewelry, etc.

• ??Store records ONSITE in a protected place like a fire/waterproof safe or on a backup hard drive.
• ??Store records OFFSITE in a safety deposit box, in the cloud, or at another location.

?Helpful resources:

?There are apps that can help organize & keep track of items for you. Here are?some I have checked out. (I do not use any apps, I personally use my list and photos. But i think we have already determined that I like “old school” methods.)

????BluePlum Home Inventory

????Encircle Home Inventory

????MyStuff2 Pro

??? Nest Egg

?Finally, call to your insurance provider. They will have some more insights into your personal situation, and perhaps a few more recommendations.?