Moving day is always stressful for everyone, no matter how much experience with moving you have. You can never really be sure that all your belongings will make it to the new place in one piece, and before they do, every family member has some story about something disappearing at move-out or arrival.
The best way to be on track with your property is by making an inventory list. It can seem like a pain, but there are many benefits. Keep reading for tips and tricks for making this easier when moving house!
What Is the Purpose of Making a Home Inventory List?
If you are wondering why to make an inventory list, one of the main reasons is that your belongings can be accounted for if disaster strikes. But, of course, a lot of unexpected situations or natural disasters could happen along the way. Still, typically, it will give insurance a better understanding about what exactly was lost and consequently might help with getting compensated when something goes wrong during relocation or even after.
Making an Inventory List
Making a plan is the best way to start. Some people are very creative when it comes to labeling and writing their goods, but the most uncomplicated way is what some experts recommend- start at the top (attic), going all the way down until your reach that basement. Double-check if you made a record of everything before moving on with another room. That will help keep track of items in each area – don't jump around too much, or else something might get lost!
Record or Photograph Items
When you write your inventory list, don't forget to include the serial numbers and photographs of items. That will make it easier for insurance companies when they come by on their inspection.
Choose Software and a Storage Medium
If you're a little too busy to maintain your home inventory, there are plenty of free or low-cost options out there. For desktop software, What You Own is an easy way for Mac and PC users alike to keep track of their belongings with minimal effort on the user's part. However, if you prefer something more DIY that doesn't cost anything.
List Your Possessions
Tackle the project by concentrating on one room at a time and writing down all of the items you own in that particular area. Group like items together for easy organization (ex: kitchen utensils or books). Make notes about objects' conditions and estimated value to assess how much clutter is weighing you down!
Take Photos and Videos
Make a video tour! It would be enough to take some pictures at least.
Don't Forget the Necessary Paperwork
Documents such as financial and legal records, identification, and other information can be challenging to replace. Therefore, it is vital to keep these documents preserved and protected.
List Valuables Separately
Jewelry, collectibles, and high-end electronics are all expensive items that may require their insurance. A separate section on the list for these things will make it easier to know what is covered by your policy daily. Generally, if you paid more, the more documentation you should keep.
Do Not Keep Copies at Home
Whether it be a natural disaster or theft, you can't rely on your computer to store all critical information. Moving data off-site ensures that even if something happens in one location, there will always be a backup. Whether it's an unavoidable event like flooding or burglary, intentional sabotage such as hacking into and deleting files, accidental formatting errors caused by viruses, etc., backing up is key for safeguarding your valuable digital assets from sudden loss.
When making an inventory list, you are documenting your belongings and protecting yourself from any loss. The document is crucial if there were ever a need for insurance that may arise during the moving process or even afterward when settling into new locations – and it makes things easier to organize too!
When moving your valuables, accidents can happen at any moment with a simple mistake. To avoid this, be sure to record all your items beforehand for movers during transportation to know what they can expect. For example: recording serial numbers of electronics or personal belongings that have sentimental value like jewelry pieces so when it gets damaged by accident, the company will cover up their mistakes because now they're aware of what was being transported, which is valuable information gained prior-hand instead of them already knowing once the damage has been done
It is not uncommon for people to have their property stolen. Fortunately, you are still covered should this happen since the insurance company will provide reimbursement if you can present proof of your belongings and a receipt.
And lastly, to ensure that you've packed everything, it's important to compare your inventory list with the moving company list and check if all of the items are noted.
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