Having too much stuff is a first-world problem many of us face. Even if you’re not a packrat, there are some areas in our homes that we’d probably hide behind a curtain if we could.
But keeping your home organized is important, especially if you’re a renter. Things often go wrong, and if you’re scrambling for an important item or contacting your renter’s insurance company after a theft or disaster, you’ll be glad you took the time to organize and itemize some of your most precious belongings.
For high-value items, like computers, jewelry, or other electronics, taking a full inventory of your belongings is also a smart choice. If you ever need to file a claim on the belongings in your rental property, having a clear, itemized list will help you get the full value of your items, often much faster than if you don’t create a list.
You can do this the old-fashioned way if that’s your preference. Buy a notebook that will only be used for this purpose, and go room-by-room listing every item, a short description, and its approximate value.
If you experience a disaster, such as a flood, an itemized list in a notebook could also become a casualty among your belongings. That’s why taking the high-tech route is probably going to save you a lot of work.
There’s an app for everything. Take a quick look at your phone’s app store and you’ll find dozens of apps designed specifically for taking inventory of your belongings.
You can take pictures, add descriptions, and even organize your belongings by room. If you’ve already taken the time to organize your belongings the process will be much smoother. Keep similar items together, such as jewelry, so when you’re taking inventory you can be sure everything is accurate.
If you’re a collector, it’s probably also a good idea to make sure your displays and collections are organized as well. If anything ever went wrong, you’d be able to assess any possible damage (and the value of the damage) much more quickly.
Take inventory of your home today with one of these easy-to-use home inventory apps suggested by Hippo!
