It can cause headaches and possibly cancer.

Document your home and what’s in it!

Like Nancy, a resident of Austin, Texas, the still-burning Bastrop wildfires have spread paranoia around her state, well, like wildfire. They are keenly aware of what they might grab if evacuated, and with about 1400 homes lost so far, the need for a home inventory has never been more real for many of us. Combine this with Hurricane Irene, the anniversary of 9/11, and the recent earthquake and you’ve got some really motivated people for National Preparedness Month (Which was this past September)!

In the event of a loss, having a home inventory helps you, the insurance company, and everyone involved. You may also find that you don’t have adequate coverage and can make a needed adjustment. The process of creating a home inventory is certainly no picnic, but here are three easy approaches to getting it done quickly and thoroughly.

Approach #1: Video Tour
Use a video camera to walk through your house and narrate everything as you display and record it. Open all of your drawers and cabinets and make sure to point out anything of particular value and any details about it. You can even narrate model and serial numbers or other identifying information right into the microphone and keep going.

PROS: Easy and fast.
CONS: Anything you purchase new will not be on the video, and you’ll want to amend it regularly. Information is in physical form (a DVD or videotape) and will need to be stored securely elsewhere outside your home. Receipts and other documentation need to be organized separately.

Approach #2: Smartphone Sweep
Use an app for your smartphone to quickly photograph everything and make notes. I am a fan of Evernote for many reasons, not just for home inventories, because you can have your information on a desktop application, on the web, and on your smartphone all at once and synchronized. Within Evernote, you can create a new Notebook called “Home Inventory” and have an individual note for each item. You can then tag each item with multiple category tags such as “Electronics” or “Keepsakes” or “Jewelry” so you can refine your searches.  You can take a picture with your smartphone and narrate it with an attached sound file, similar to the video option above. You can also attach scanned documents like warranty information and receipts to each note. Evernote is free for a generous amount of storage, but you would probably want to pay for the nominal upgrade to Premium if you have a lot of photos and sound files.

Other apps are MyStuff2 for iPhone and iPad and Allstate’s Digital Locker, also for iPhone. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has MyHOME.scr.APP.book for Android and iPhone.

PROS: Handy, stored securely in the “cloud,” easy to update
CONS: Data entry could be tedious depending on which app you choose (best if there is a larger screen option like iPad or a desktop/web companion version)

Approach #3: Laptop Patrol
Take your laptop and digital camera and venture through the house, stopping in each room to add items to a software or web-based application. Some options for web-based applications are eProoft, DocuHome, and KnowYourStuff from The Insurance Information Institute. If you are a Quicken user and want to integrate your home inventory values into your net worth, they offer Home Inventory Manager software.

PROS: Web-based applications store your data securely in the “cloud,” available from anywhere, easy data entry, easy to update
CONS: Some services cost money, and software that resides on your hard drive is not protected or available if your computer itself is destroyed

Regardless of the tool, another time-saving approach is to take a few wide photos of each room and write everything down per room, but you may miss a few things. Do you have a home inventory? Has an inventory rescued you after a loss? Tell your story in the comments!

info found here.