Being prepared for the unexpected means having essential documents (and copies of them) in order and easy to find. Some people call these their Vital Documents. Whatever you call them they are really important! I recently learned that 98% of all South Carolina residents have no will! If that’s your situation and you don’t know where to start, let me know and I can guide you in the right direction!
Do I need a Home Inventory?
Do you have a disaster and or legacy plan? Wondering if you really need a home inventory? Whether you have one started or have nothing at all read on to learn why you need a home inventory and how to protect your personal property.
Almost all of us need a home inventory, whether we rent or own our homes or businesses. If you have insurance, you need an inventory to prove replacement value. If you are leaving things to family, donation, etc, you also may need an inventory.
Sadly, many people think that because they have insurance, they don’t need to worry about a home inventory. Unfortunately, that’s not true. Insurance doesn’t guarantee you will get replacement value for your property. There are so many irreplaceable things, and all the little stuff really adds up. Having a home inventory will save you a huge potential headache, hours, or worse; pocket expenses lost down the drain. When trying to dig your way out of a disaster, or your family is grieving and trying to determine the value of your estate, this can add stress to an already hard situation. When I became a professional organizer, I learned all about the different home inventory systems and tools available. I also helped clients with creating inventory systems both before and after disasters, mostly flooding and some theft. Trust me when I say you don’t want to inventory your stuff after it’s been damaged or try to remember what’s missing! It’s not the insurance company’s responsibility (or your family’s) to know the value of your personal belongings, (and it’s not in their interest to help you with this). If you can’t prove you owned it (meaning tracking down receipts or charges, photos or other documentation), you may lose altogether.
What needs to be inventoried? The quick answer is everything! You are probably thinking this will take ages, and depending on how much detail you want to include, it could be a significant undertaking but really not so bad if you take it step-by-step and room-by-room.
Without an inventory, you could end up with a mess and thousands of dollars in lost assets! In the case of estate planning, your family may be left trying to figure out what is what. Don’t get stuck sorting toilet plungers from kitchen utensils, holiday decor, and more. Document the items in your home, including valuables and everyday items. This inventory should be updated every 2-5 years depending on your circumstances.
I’ve worked extensively on creating inventory for insurance claims and estates. Here’s what you need to know. Photos and videos are your friends! Spreadsheets are super helpful and may prevent you from having to fill out additional information in the event of an insurance claim. But there are other systems out there that are super helpful and can do more for you than just a home inventory.
As the well-known Sheryl Sandberg quote goes, “Done is better than perfect.” So true in the case of an inventory! Just having photos is better than nothing!
A home inventory Checklist can help you to understand what information will be most valuable in the case of an insurance claim. Most insurance companies would like to have the following. The more info you can provide, the more accurate your claim and reimbursement will be. Remember, the more complicated your assets and estate, the more details you will need.
It may not be necessary to have all the information below. Suppose you’re in a disaster situation and realize you don’t have anything. In that case, the short answer is to photograph every wall of every room, even opening cabinets and closets, and take photos of contents by shelf. Take notes on contents to help jog your memory, noting location and a general description. Photograph anything specifically valuable in each room. These photos and notes will prove invaluable if you have to evacuate quickly and lose the property.
Remember, “Done is better than perfect!” What follows is a more detailed guide of what your insurance company might request. Not having all of this does not mean you will not get reimbursed. The more you can provide, the quicker and more smoothly things will move along.
- List items by room- This will help qualify content damage when structural damage has been done.
- Include a basic description
- Make/Model
- Serial or ID number
- Quantity
- Assign value (replacement value will be paid based on current market value-ex. electronics that may have cost you $500 might be replaceable for $200 today)
- Date purchased
- Receipt if available
- Reference photo’s
Home Zada is one of the most comprehensive home management tools out there and does everything from home maintenance reminders to home inventory. If you’re on the serious side of protecting your valuable assets, I can’t recommend a better way to manage it all in one place! This is a cloud-based option so you won’t lose it if you lose your computer!
Another great comprehensive but inexpensive system is Liberty Street Home Manage software (also cloud-based). It’s under $40 and allows you to enter all the important documentation and photos for all your assets (at multiple locations).
Several insurance companies have their systems, so ask your insurance agent what they offer! It will probably be free and give them everything needed if you ever have to make a claim.
Home Contents is a UK Based app that makes home inventory a snap with your digital camera in-phone. And finally, in the app department, My Stuff has several free and paid options with great features for adding items to folders, tagging, etc for easier sorting and organizing.
If you prefer to stick with a spreadsheet-style inventory, just do a quick search for Home Inventory Checklist to find quite a few good options for free. Most of these templates you can download and use on your computer/device.
Spreadsheet systems (I’ve used comprehensively with insurance agents to recover contents lost) can be clunky, and it’s difficult to see photos of items with their descriptions quickly. Another drawback is that unless you back up your computer or device, you risk losing your inventory (photos and checklist) and your contents in case of a disaster!
If a home inventory for disaster or estate planning is something you want help setting up, let me know, and I’d be glad to assist!
No matter what system you choose, I hope you make a plan, schedule it on your calendar, and start your home inventory today!
Step-By-Step prep for natural disasters
No matter where you live, it’s practically impossible to ignore and vital to prepare for natural disasters! With the change in our climate, especially if you live along the coastlines, it pays to get organized, ‘Just in Case’ there’s a natural disaster!
On cue for hurricane & fire season, it’s time to prepare for natural disasters.
Do you have a plan i, know your evacuation route, and have supplies ready?
Did you miss travel? Tried & True, Travel Tips & Tools
Having missed traveling over the past year I’ve needed to hone my travel organizing skills with useful Travel Tips and Tools. Some things get easier when you do them more often and a little rusty when you get out of your routine. I’ve been on the road a lot with things opening back up, visiting friends and family, and traveling regularly for business (1 week a month), so I’m sharing a few of my favorite, tried, true, and new products, tips, and tools for day to day travels and longer trips.
- Luggage is a good place to start! Select pieces appropriately sized to your travel time and needs. If you don’t want to mess with checking luggage during air travel, make sure it will fit in the overhead bins. I prefer soft-sided carry-on luggage and hard-sided luggage for checking in. If you do have to use a larger bag, make sure you have a way to keep it underweight or be prepared to pay the hefty fees! Wheels make any luggage more manageable and some even come with portable batteries that can be used to recharge phones etc. Be sure your carry-on luggage is comfortable to lift and maneuver (especially in the airport) if you are traveling alone. I like to pack a spare shirt, undergarments, and essentials in my carry-on for long trips, in case your bags don’t make it at the same time you do. A cross-body bag, like a messenger or long-handled purse, can leave your hands free and distribute weight more evenly while keeping important things more secure (I know there is some debate about this, so use your personal discretion). Some people never have to check a bag…I’m not one of these people, are you? I envy them:) I bring too much stuff wherever I go, but it’s organized and I’m prepared!
- Pack a mix and match wardrobe in a single color palette theme (think Black, white and purple or brown, orange and tan, etc). Keep it simple and add a few easy accents. Build your travel wardrobe around a couple of comfortable and favorite pieces and you can’t go wrong.
- Layout your outfits and add accessories and undergarments before packing or hang on a hanging rack if available. Add mix and match separates if needed once your basic outfits have been planned. I usually try to bring no more than 3 shoes, 3-4 bottoms, and more tops depending on the amount of time I’ll be away and the climate I’m visiting. This combination gives me almost endless varieties of outfits without the bulk of separate pants and shoes for every outfit.
- I have a variety of bags and pouches in sizes for all sorts of things from accessories, cables, cords, my camera, toiletries, etc. All my clothes go in a series of Eagle Creek expandable pouches which I sort by kind of clothing, including undergarments, tops, bottoms, etc. I also like Ikea family bags, a hanging toiletry bag with clear pockets on the interior, and a variety of smaller zip pouches I’ve picked up or made myself. This zippered mesh pouch is one I take everywhere for anything I want to keep dry and undamaged, including papers, magazines, files, etc! What are your favorite small bags?
- To keep technology in order I use a combination of bags (above), cord wrap accessories, and a favorite, the Grid-It by Cocoon!
- Finally be sure you have backup documents of all your necessary and important paperwork (vaccination proof, itinerary, passport, ID, financial doc’s, etc) somewhere that someone you trust can access if you need them and bring along copies (bring a photo via your smartphone if you’re comfortable) of important numbers (accounts, phone #’s for financial institutions and emergency contacts, etc) for easy access.
For more ideas check out my Pinterest board Ideas for [Travel] and here are a couple of my new favorite travel pins…
I’m sure you have your own favorite travel tips and tools and hopefully, I’ve shared a few new things to consider for your next trip. What are your favorite Travel Tips and Tools?
8 Easy Steps to Closet Cleanout
Tackle your wardrobe and seasonal closet clutter with these 8 Easy Steps to Closet Cleanout.
Spring fever and the extra hour of daylight spur many of us onto spring cleaning, especially right now while we are spending more time at home! We are still in the height of Spring Cleaning frenzy so if you haven’t yet tackled the closets, there’s still plenty of time before the heat of the summer and seasonal vacations and kids summer breaks are upon us!
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