“For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned.” – Benjamin Franklin
Being organized can evoke a wealth of emotions, including a feeling of being productive and in control, along with a sense of security and calm in knowing that you are prepared for whatever comes your way, including disaster scenarios. And no doubt a disaster can elicit panic, uncertainty, and uneasiness. Still, if you’ve created a home inventory list for disaster and insurance purposes, you’ll have one less thing to worry about. Instead, you can concentrate on the most important thing: ensuring your family’s safety and well-being. Here’s our step-by-step guide to creating a home inventory for disaster and insurance purposes.
1. Choose your documentation method.
While you can bog yourself down with creating a DIY spreadsheet or by paying for an app or special home inventory software (often with an initial purchase cost and ongoing monthly fees}, sometimes an old-fashioned printable worksheet and taking photos can be a less intimidating way to establish a home inventory. It’s also good to make a quick list of all the rooms in your home to make sure you don’t miss anything.
2. What do you need to document?
Everything in your home should be documented, including clothing, furniture, appliances, musical instruments, and electronics like cell phones. And every item on your list should include:
• a brief description
• the date of purchase
• where you bought the item
• the make/model/serial numbers
• the estimated current market or replacement cost
Depending on the item, sometimes insurance companies will require proof of purchase, so you can include a quick note to identify if there’s a receipt in a yes/no format. If you have items in storage, check with your insurance agent to make sure they’re covered.
| Items by room type can include but are not limited to: | |
|---|---|
| Attic/hallways/closets | tables; lamps; rugs; photographs; artwork; collectibles; luggage and backpacks; clothing and footwear; seasonal decor; and items of sentimental value |
| Basement/rec room | bar; electronics, speakers, and gaming consoles; seating; recreational game items, including video games, DVDs, Blu-rays |
| Bathrooms |
cabinet items; electrical appliances such as razors and hair dryers; linens; make-up and accessories |
| Bedrooms | bed frames; mattresses; linens; furniture; shelving; TVs and electronics; clothing; jewelry, shoes, and accessories |
|
Den/home office |
furniture; electronics and computers; lamps |
|
Garage & outdoor spaces |
workbench and tools; garden equipment; pool equipment; patio/deck furniture; sports equipment; bicycles |
|
Kitchen |
small appliances; silverware; dishes and glassware; cookware, such as pots and pans; bakeware; utensils; storage containers; major appliances; wine collection |
|
Laundry room |
washer/dryer; shelving; custom cabinetry |
| Living & dining areas | furniture; accent pieces; electronics; fireplace equipment; window coverings; carpeting; plants, especially if large and mature |
3. Don’t forget to document your documents.
It’s important to also note the vital documents you have on hand in your home and where they’re located. This can include birth certificates, passports, and social security cards, as well as crucial insurance policies, receipts, and appraisals.
4. Categorize belongings together.
If you’re documenting items in your closet, for example, you may want to condense some items by lumping them together and listing 5 pairs of winter boots and 23 handbags, instead of listing them all separately.
5. List valuable items independently.
However, if you have high-value items throughout your home, be sure to list them individually. This could include designer clothes/handbags/shoes, jewelry, artwork, and collectibles, as well as high-end electronics and appliances.
6. Adjust your insurance policies as necessary.
Always remember to:
• Ensure your homeowners’ insurance policy provides extra coverage for expensive items, as general coverage will not cover them.
• Keep your homeowner’s coverage current by updating it to include any new expensive purchases.
Once you’ve finished your home inventory list, total up the value of items and compare it with your current personal property/homeowners/renters/condo insurance policy to ensure it provides adequate coverage.
7. Take photos and/or videos.
While receipts are valuable as proof of purchase, including photos or videos of the belongings in your home can further strengthen your insurance claim. This visual documentation helps demonstrate ownership to the adjuster. You can use your phone to do a room-by-room walk around or to take photos of individual items, including their serial/product numbers.
8. Start with one space.
This one space can be as small as a closet or a single room with minimal belongings, or as big as the smallest floor of your 3-level condo. The point is not to overwhelm and intimidate yourself, but to completely catalog the belongings of just one space.
9. Or start with the most recent purchases.
Sometimes even starting with one space can seem like a lot, so how about listing your latest purchases instead? Chances are you’re still excited about having these new items in your home, so it may even be fun to list them first.
10. If you feel overwhelmed, try this.
No doubt establishing a home inventory can come with information overload as there are so many items and details to record.
• Share working on the inventory list with a partner or household member to give yourself a break.
• Take quick breaks to help alleviate the overwhelming feeling.
• Schedule time to work on the list, and break it down into smaller sections of your home so it’s less daunting.
• Remind yourself that the list doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to include the basics of each item without getting into noting if there’s a scratch here or a dent there.
• If worse comes to worse, you can always hire a professional home inventory expert to come in and do the work so you don’t have to.
11. The final step: upload your home inventory list, photos, and vital docs to the FREE and secure DomiDocs® Homeowner Enablement Platform®.
When your important documents are stored in the secure DomiDocs Homeowner Enablement Platform®, you’ll have 24/7/365 access to everything in one convenient location, including:
• Directories: contact information for contractors, service providers, banking, insurance agents, and local government agencies
• Documents: can include mortgage documents, contracts, utility information, reports, warranties, manuals, and more
• Document Bundles: the Insurance Bundle includes your 4-Point Inspection; Flood Map; Limited Liability Insurance; Title Insurance; Disaster Preparedness Guide; Site Surveys; and Wind Mitigation report
• Photos & Videos
12. Save time with the Share Property feature!
From wherever you may be during a crisis, the Share Property feature of the DomiDocs Homeowner Enablement Platform® allows you to send curated documents to the recipients of your choice.
It’s almost a given that you, and likely your insurance adjuster, will be praising DomiDocs® and your organizational skills in a moment like this, as the quicker a claim gets activated, the quicker you’ll see results.
Embrace the future of homeownership with DomiDocs.
Welcome to the DomiDocs® era.
For more information about organization, read:
Home Documents: How to Organize Them for Today’s Digital Environment
How to File an Insurance Claim
DomiDocs® Natural Disaster Preparedness Series
Author – Connie Motz
