This is my first time completing a home inventory, so I am having lots of growing pains. I am entering everything onto my spreadsheet just in case I should need it.
By the end of things, I was able to save myself a LOT of time by doing one task at a time. Here’s how I did it:
- Create folders for each part of the room (e.g sink, tub, medicine cabinet)
- Use photos to enter items onto the spreadsheet, making sure to enter items one part of the room at a time. NOTE: I took photos this way, so it was easy to do.
- After entering Everything in the photos, I filed my photos in the appropriate folder (see step 1).
- THEN, I took the time to look-up the value of each item on the sheet.
- This step is optional, I’m doing it to save storage space. I zipped the folders of the photos after this (so I could reference them while valuing, if needed).
- Done and ready for the next room.
Now, the process wasn’t fast, but it was faster this way than before. It took me about 4 hours to complete the first bathroom because I was repeating steps 2-4 for each item, one at a time. The second room took me about 2 hours. There were about 40 fewer items to enter, but changing the way I entered information was the real game changer.
Let me say this, the process I used for the first bathroom was so tedious, I considered switching to an app, but the app I chose would have been no less tedious. In the end, I still prefer my spreadsheet. It is so flexible and accessible (on my phone, computer, wherever).
Now that it’s February, I am going to tackle the Front Hall Closet and Laundry Room. My laundry room is really a laundry closet, but c’est la vie, it does the job. See you in March.
Here’s hoping I don’t need to file any claims. This will take some time!