Everyone ought to maintain a Home Inventory List to document their home assets for insurance purposes. You don't necessarily need special home inventory software, though. A simple inventory spreadsheet should suffice, so go ahead and download the free Home Inventory template below. If you need more sophisticated inventory management software for your home or small business, try searching the Microsoft Office template gallery or check out our sponsors.
AdvertisementThe Inventory Spreadsheet includes some of the common locations and items that you might want to consider when creating your own inventory list. Some of the descriptions in the inventory list, like "Electronics", are just placeholders to remind you to include your electronics. For insurance purposes, it would be better to list each item separately so that you can include the price, serial #, and model # for each item.
Taking photos of your property for your home inventory will make working with your insurance company go a lot smoother. You might even want to do a walk-through video. Record a quick video clip of each room in your home, and store the video clips and digital photos on a flash drive with your inventory.
When you have completed your home inventory, store a paper copy and a digital copy in a secure location outside of your home and/or in a fireproof safe. A safety deposit box or even a locked drawer in your office would probably work for an off-site location.