OUTLINE:
DRAFT:
Keeping track of your belongings is hard enough on a daily basis (How many chapsticks have you lost in the last year? Where are your headphones?). It’s incredibly easy to lose track of belongings, but that is not a game you want to play while you’re moving.
While it may seem silly, it’s actually pretty common to misplace items during your move. You think you packed your skillet, but as you unpack you can’t find it anywhere. Then you find yourself restocking items you either lost, donated, or never actually owned in the first place.
Moving also has a funny way of revealing how much stuff we accumulate. Do you know exactly what you have, what it’s all worth, and where it belongs in your new home?
A home inventory is incredibly helpful when moving. You can get organized, figure out what you have, and get a fresh perspective on the contents of your home.
Initiating a home inventory list can also trigger a much-needed declutter session. Whether you’re packing on your own or you hiring professional movers to pack and take an inventory of your belongings, creating your own home inventory as a backup and cross-reference tool.
What is a Home Inventory?
A home inventory is a detailed breakdown of each item in your home. A great home inventory allows you to see everything you own, what condition it’s in, how much it’s worth, and where it will live in your new home.
There are several different organizational methods for creating a home inventory sheet. If you prefer to write it down on a sheet of paper, that works as long as it works for you. A popular method is to create a spreadsheet to keep items and their descriptions clean and organized.
Why You Need a Home Inventory For Your Move
If you’re thinking a home inventory list is just another task that will complicate the process, think again. A home inventory list actually makes your move easier.
The purpose of a home inventory is to:
When to Create a Home Inventory
Give yourself plenty of time to tackle your moving inventory. After all, you have several rooms packed with stuff, so this will take some time. Additionally, you don’t want to rush yourself, because that will lead to more mistakes. If you’re going to create an inventory sheet, do it right.
Start thinking about your inventory list as soon as you decide you’re going to move. YOu don’t even have to put anything on paper yet. You just have to look at your home objectively and see how much stuff you really have.
Then, you can begin decluttering. Get rid of anything that seems like a waste of time to include on your list. The decluttering phase prepares you for the inventory phase. Once all your decluttering is over, you can breathe easy knowing everything in your home is necessary and worth of the list.
How to Set Up a Home Inventory
The great thing about home inventory lists is that you can be as detailed or as minimal as you want with it. An inventory exists to make your life easier. If you’re not the organized type, don’t worry. Use this basic category checklist to create your own home inventory template sheet.
Item Description
Owner (who it belongs to)
Room Location
Category
Condition
Value $
Purchase Date
If you’re looking for a more in-depth, printable home inventory template sheet, you can find dozens at PDFfiller. Allstate has a pretty great one here.
An Organized Home is Easier to Move
Creating a home inventory list offers so many advantages for both you and your professional movers. Once you’re done, you will find that your belongings are more organized, you know where you want them to go, and your movers will easily be able to unload items where you want them.
Still looking for professional Palo Alto Movers here or the greater San Francisco area? Moving Forward is the smart choice. Give us a call today to receive your free quote and learn more about the benefits of working with Moving Forward.
- Intro
- What is a Home Inventory
- Name of item
- Estimated value
- Its condition
- Location in your home
- Why You Need a Home Inventory For Your Move
- When to Create a Home Inventory
- How to Set Up a Home Inventory
DRAFT:
Keeping track of your belongings is hard enough on a daily basis (How many chapsticks have you lost in the last year? Where are your headphones?). It’s incredibly easy to lose track of belongings, but that is not a game you want to play while you’re moving.
While it may seem silly, it’s actually pretty common to misplace items during your move. You think you packed your skillet, but as you unpack you can’t find it anywhere. Then you find yourself restocking items you either lost, donated, or never actually owned in the first place.
Moving also has a funny way of revealing how much stuff we accumulate. Do you know exactly what you have, what it’s all worth, and where it belongs in your new home?
A home inventory is incredibly helpful when moving. You can get organized, figure out what you have, and get a fresh perspective on the contents of your home.
Initiating a home inventory list can also trigger a much-needed declutter session. Whether you’re packing on your own or you hiring professional movers to pack and take an inventory of your belongings, creating your own home inventory as a backup and cross-reference tool.
What is a Home Inventory?
A home inventory is a detailed breakdown of each item in your home. A great home inventory allows you to see everything you own, what condition it’s in, how much it’s worth, and where it will live in your new home.
There are several different organizational methods for creating a home inventory sheet. If you prefer to write it down on a sheet of paper, that works as long as it works for you. A popular method is to create a spreadsheet to keep items and their descriptions clean and organized.
Why You Need a Home Inventory For Your Move
If you’re thinking a home inventory list is just another task that will complicate the process, think again. A home inventory list actually makes your move easier.
The purpose of a home inventory is to:
- Protect yourself against theft. When you’re moving, you’re more susceptible to break ins. Creating a home inventory of your belongings before you start packing and making a ruckus can prevent a legal nightmare if someone breaks into your home.
- Prepare for damage or loss. A moving inventory list can also be a lifesaver if there’s a fire, flood, earthquake, or other natural disaster that requires you to deal with insurance and replace your items. Additionally, home inventories can help you navigate replacements and insurance issues with your professional moving company if anything is damaged in transport.
- Make the unpacking experience more convenient. When you know what you have and where it goes, you can basically pack on auto-pilot. A simple color-coding system can help you or the movers unload boxes where they are meant to go in your home.
- Understand the total value of belongings in your home. What is the total contents of your house worth? This can be a fun exercise to see what’s worth keeping for sentimental or monetary value. If you’re unsure what certain valuables are worth, you can hire an appraiser and get a professional opinion. Who knows, you could be sitting on a gold mine!
- Have a backup inventory if something happens. While many professional moving companies provide their own inventory list, it helps to have two inventories to cross-reference. Ultimately, you’re in charge of your belongings, and it will give you peace of mind if you can create your own list and know exactly what you’re looking after.
- Find out what you need and what you can get rid of. Before you create an inventory list, you may realize that you have plenty to get rid of before you document it. A home inventory helps you consider what’s worth keeping and what is good to toss. You will feel 1,000 times lighter when you initiate that home inventory process because you will also be tackling the decluttering process simultaneously.
- Discover what you don’t have. An inventory also helps you see what you’re missing but may need. Thought you had and crockpot? Confused as to where that old living room rug ran off to? Pay attention to the items you thought you had and, in fact, need. “Missing necessary items” is another important section on your list that you can address when you move in.
When to Create a Home Inventory
Give yourself plenty of time to tackle your moving inventory. After all, you have several rooms packed with stuff, so this will take some time. Additionally, you don’t want to rush yourself, because that will lead to more mistakes. If you’re going to create an inventory sheet, do it right.
Start thinking about your inventory list as soon as you decide you’re going to move. YOu don’t even have to put anything on paper yet. You just have to look at your home objectively and see how much stuff you really have.
Then, you can begin decluttering. Get rid of anything that seems like a waste of time to include on your list. The decluttering phase prepares you for the inventory phase. Once all your decluttering is over, you can breathe easy knowing everything in your home is necessary and worth of the list.
How to Set Up a Home Inventory
The great thing about home inventory lists is that you can be as detailed or as minimal as you want with it. An inventory exists to make your life easier. If you’re not the organized type, don’t worry. Use this basic category checklist to create your own home inventory template sheet.
Item Description
Owner (who it belongs to)
Room Location
Category
Condition
Value $
Purchase Date
If you’re looking for a more in-depth, printable home inventory template sheet, you can find dozens at PDFfiller. Allstate has a pretty great one here.
An Organized Home is Easier to Move
Creating a home inventory list offers so many advantages for both you and your professional movers. Once you’re done, you will find that your belongings are more organized, you know where you want them to go, and your movers will easily be able to unload items where you want them.
Still looking for professional Palo Alto Movers here or the greater San Francisco area? Moving Forward is the smart choice. Give us a call today to receive your free quote and learn more about the benefits of working with Moving Forward.
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