The importance of creating a home inventory list

Do you know each and every item you own? Unless you have an extensive home inventory, your answer is probably no. And even if you do think you know exactly what you own, you might be surprised if you were to check the garage or some different storage in your home. But, there are many benefits of creating a home inventory list. That’s why we, as one of the leading storage space NYC providers, have decided to share some of these benefits! If not for insurance, an inventory can help out in many situations.

Home insurance

If you’re planning on insuring your belongings, an inventory list will be mandatory. Say your living room sets on fire. You can’t claim your insurance if you tell your insurance company that “everything in the living room” is gone. They don’t know what these items are, they have no proof of them, and you could lose a lot of money. Additionally, already having a list of all of your items when you go to a consultation with an insurance professional will make things so much easier. Otherwise this professional will just tell you to contact them when you create the list.

The easiest and maybe most popular way to take inventory is by creating a video. You can walk around your home and list out loud in the video all of the items in your home. Or, you could take a thorough video of your home and sit down to create a list. Whichever way you choose, making a video will make your life ten times easier. Instead of walking around with a notepad for hours, make a short video and list out your items faster. Additionally, if you’re planning on getting a storage rental NYC, you’ll have no trouble organizing your storage unit.

Filing an insurance claim will be easier than ever

Creating a home inventory list will help with claiming insurance. Many of us can’t remember what we did the day before, let alone all of the items in our basement. We receive so much information on a day-to-day basis that it can get hard to remember everything. That’s why an inventory list will come in handy. You will already showcase your list while purchasing insurance, so it is likely that your insurance providers will have some sort of inventory themselves. You should still be careful, though. Not everyone always wants to help us. If your insurance company is 100% trustworthy, you won’t need to worry. But, you should still hold on to your inventory list!

Applying for financial assistance

After a catastrophe, you will need to substantiate your financial losses. This will help you qualify for a tax break or financial assistance after a disaster. A good, thorough home inventory will aid you during this process. You can pinpoint exactly what’s been damaged, ruined, or destroyed. Additionally, you can prove everything by providing an inventory list, prices of each item, as well as pictures/videos proving the previous state of your items. Self-storage NYC can also prove to be useful. In the case that you need to keep all the damaged items as proof, what better place to keep them than far away from home?

How to go about creating a home inventory list?

Be thorough

Try to create a list that encapsulates all of your belongings. Make your way through your home and write down everything you see. This will be the first sweep. The second time around you will need to check all drawers, closets, shelves, and any other enclosed spaces. Pay close attention to rooms you don’t usually use. This includes the garage, the attic, the basement, etc.

Now, let’s pay some attention to your most valued possessions. People usually decide to get insurance because of their expensive items. These valuables can be artworks, sculptures, antiques, collections, electronic equipment, and much, much more. Basically, anything that is worth a lot of money is worth insuring.

For expensive pieces, it’s good to prepare the following:

• Credit card statements and receipts
• Appraisals
• Additional transaction documents
• Photos

When you’ve curated your inventory list, be mindful to update it as you buy more items. Self-storage Bronx is another amazing way to protect the items most valuable to you. If there’s a disaster approaching, or you don’t feel that your items are safe in your home, storage will be the perfect solution.

Summarize some items

You don’t need to list out each and every item separately. For example, when it comes to clothes, you don’t need to name each t-shirt by itself. A good solution can be writing “t-shirts x20” signalizing that you have 20 t-shirts of around the same price. But, you should still document more expensive items. Kitchen supplies, designer clothes, and bags you might own, jewelry, musical instruments, collectibles, and any high-quality expensive items you own should be separate on the inventory list. During the assembling of this list, consulting an insurance professional might be the best option. They will point out if any of the items need additional documentation to be insured.

Write down serial numbers

For certain electronic equipment, you might need serial numbers. A lot of electronics look similar but the serial number is what signalizes the price, model, and make. So, to be sure that you get the right compensation, it’s a good idea to document even the serial numbers.

Don’t be afraid to use technology

Creating your home inventory list will be so much easier if you use technology. You can use your phone or camera to take photos of the more expensive items, as well as record a video of your home and all of your possessions. While recording, you can list out each item aloud and their prices. We would recommend enlisting the help of a home inventory app so that your home inventory list is safely stored online and you don’t lose it!