Home Inventory
 

Probably been discussed many times, so flame me if you must, but has anyone ever done one?

How thorough did you get?
(I guess put another way, how anal are you about your stuff?)
Are digital picture the way to go or would videos work best?
Where would you store it?
Did you eventually need it for recovery?
Any other hints or ideas?

I have a database I wrote in Access that I use for firearms (oops, I mean spoons) to keep information off site. I modified it to use for watches as well. Other then that I am not sure I have anything the insurance company would consider excessive. After eleven years in my house, I have pictures of most everything anyway.

Digital photographs on disc.

I have never done an inventory, but the last time I had a home inspection done I recieved a printed "journal" with digital photographs and discriptions of what I was looking at. I was very impressed.

Just catalogue every thing with a photo and discription. You can use something as simple as Word. Make two copies and keep them seperately. Give one to another family member for safekeeping should yours be destroyed.

I've heard several times that video is better than digital photos.

My parents kept very good records of anything electronic (stereo, tv, etc...). We were burgled when I was about 12. My parents' records were so good that the insurance company thought that the whole thing was a scam and investigated our claim. We ended up getting everything replaced though. My wife and I have been talking about doing an inventory, but we haven't.

I had taken alot of pictures in preperation for hurricane Ike. Stored them in a closet in a waterproof plastic container. No hurricane damage, no problem. Fast forware 2 years and a damn fire destroyed my waterproof box. I won't make the same mistake of keeping the only copys on site. Back up those computers also through an online service, won't make that mistake again. Birth certificates, social security cards, professional license all were lost. Lesson learned, scars earned.

I think a video where you verbally tell what you have would be very compelling.
Larry

I inventories our spoons. At least three digital copies exist. Rarely are they all three the same place. Not much else around here is the type of thing one would inventory.

Have digital photos, and some video...need to update as it's a couple years out of date. Have serial numbers on most electronics.

Video with verbal description is easy. For valuable items like jewelry get an professional appraisal and file that somewhere safe.

Whenever I had moved in the past I used a camera and a newspaper to prove that the date on the photograph is not fake. I later did the same with a video camera.

However, I would suggest doing both that way you don't have to go through a home video ;)