How to Take Inventory  

of Your Personal Belongings 

According to a 2012 survey conducted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, nearly 60% of Americans have never inventoried their possessions. Taking video or photos is a the first step in cataloging your belongings. Just remember that you want to have a backup of your files in a safe place away from your home, such as a cloud-based backup or stored in a safety deposit box.

To begin, walk around your house and yard and take videos to capture the big picture. Narrate what you see and include the date. Outside, make sure to include swimming pools, fences, patio furniture, valuable landscaping and hardscaping, windows, roof, air conditioning or heating units, outbuildings, cars - anything that would be covered by your homeowners insurance. If there is a dead tree on your neighbors property that could fall and cause you damage, take footage of it and its surroundings. 

Inside, you will want to do the same thing. Move from room to room, opening closets, cabinets, and drawers. Again, narrate what you see. Include general appliances, household items (carpets, rugs, bookcases, chairs, clocks, mirrors, linens), furniture, clothing, the contents of all the bedrooms, everything in the kitchen, dining room, garage, home office, etc. And of course, any valuable items such as jewelry, furs, art, wine... you get the picture. (FYI: Valuable items like jewelry or artwork may need to be insured separately. Ask your insurance agent whether you need a rider for your homeowners policy.)

Now that you have video of everything, take detailed photos of your prized possessions. If you have the option, include the time/date stamp in the photo. If you're using your phone camera, there may be apps you can download to achieve this.

Not only will this inventory help you recoup your costs if something is damaged or stolen, but it will help you assess whether or not you have enough insurance. It is also helpful in divorce and estate settlements. 

Repeat this inventory every year. And as new valuables are added, photograph them right away and keep a record of your receipts.

For additional ideas, see the following websites:

• From the Insurance Information Institute, Know Your Stuff , is a free cloud-based home inventory solution with apps for iPhone and android.
• Home Inventory for Macs offers a free trial and offers many more features such as a barcode scanner, suggestions for insurance coverage, and home management reminders (clean your air filter). It also includes an app for the iPhone.  
• Finally, I've discussed Safely Filed previously in my "Emergency Preparedness" newsletter. It's a safe way to store all of your important documentation.