Preparing a home inventory before you move can serve several benefits. It serves as a checklist to ensure you’ve received all your belongings – in proper condition – upon arrival. You know exactly what you had at origin and what you should have at destination.
Making a home inventory requires a bit more effort than simply walking around your house with a pen and paper. You’ll want to document exactly what you own, its approximate value and where it goes. You may also want to record the condition of items that have existing damage or that need special care.
Get started
Before you begin, get rid of any items that won’t be moving with you or you may store it with the moving company employed to manage your relocation. Read about our secure storage options to know how your belongings can be stored for long or short term in our facilities.
You can create a pen-and-paper inventory as you walk through each room or you might prefer an electronic inventory. Take pictures or videos of your valuables, fragile items and electronics. Scan or photograph important receipts, too. Store your files and receipts with the home inventory so everything’s in one place-save them on an external hard drive or the cloud.
Create your list
Preparing a home inventory in an orderly fashion, walking through one room at a time. Make sure you list the name of the item, its value and the room it is in.
The value of your items (an estimate or the actual price) is important. If you need to make a claim to your movers, you’ll need to know the value of each item.
Noting the room helps you place the items in your new home more easily. Don’t forget to include any large appliances on your inventory list and note the make, model and serial number.
Securing your inventory list
Make copies of the inventory list immediately upon completion. Give a copy to a relative or friend in case your copy is lost during the move or damaged in case of flood or fire in your home. When you move, take the packing list in your hand luggage so that you’ll have it available when you’re ready to unpack in your new home.
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