Why a home inventory earns its keep

Most of us know roughly what we own until we are asked to prove it. After a burst pipe, a kitchen fire or a break-in, your insurer will want a list of the items affected, along with some evidence of what they were and what they cost. Trying to rebuild that list from memory, in the middle of an already stressful claim, is where people lose money. A home inventory is simply a record of your belongings, put together calmly in advance, so that claiming becomes routine admin rather than detective work.

It also protects you against underinsurance. If your contents sum insured is set too low — a common problem after a few years of replacing furniture, gadgets and appliances — insurers may reduce your payout proportionately. Knowing what you actually own makes it far easier to review that figure honestly at renewal.

Start with a room-by-room sweep

You do not need to catalogue every teaspoon. Aim for anything you would genuinely want replaced, plus anything with a value that would sting. Work through the house one room at a time, and give yourself a fortnight rather than an afternoon.

• Living room: television, sound system, games consoles, sofa, rugs, lamps, artwork, books of real value.
• Kitchen: large appliances, stand mixers, coffee machines, good knives, cookware, the contents of a wine rack.
• Bedrooms: beds and mattresses, wardrobes, clothing by category rather than item, jewellery, watches.
• Home office: laptop, monitor, printer, chair, microphone or camera equipment.
• Outbuildings and garden: lawnmower, tools, bicycles, garden furniture, barbecues. These are frequently overlooked and frequently stolen.
• Loft, garage and cupboards: seasonal decorations, suitcases, sports gear, spare white goods.

A simple spreadsheet works perfectly well as your master record. One row per item, with columns for description, make and model, where and when you bought it, and the price paid.

Photographs, video and the details that matter

Photographs are the single most useful thing you can add. Take a wide shot of each room so the layout and scale are clear, then closer shots of individual items. For anything electrical, photograph the serial number plate — it is usually on the back or underneath — and the model number on the front. For jewellery, a close-up on a plain background showing any hallmarks is worth its weight in gold.

A slow video walk-through, narrating as you go, takes about ten minutes for a typical home and captures far more than you would think. Open drawers, cupboards and wardrobes as you pass. Do it again if you move house or redecorate.

Write descriptions that a stranger could understand. "Large silver Samsung television, 55 inch, bought March 2023" is useful. "TV" is not. Include approximate dimensions and the condition of the item, since wear and tear affects settlements on some policies.

Receipts, serial numbers and digital admin

Paper receipts fade, curl and vanish. Scan or photograph them as you buy, and file them digitally the same day. If you shop online, most retailers keep invoices in your account and email you a confirmation — create a folder in your email called something like Home inventory — receipts and move them there as they arrive. Bank and credit card statements can also support a claim when a receipt has long gone, so keep them accessible.

For warranties and instruction manuals, a phone scan to a cloud folder is enough. Many appliance brands let you register a product online, which stores the purchase date for you.

• Name files consistently: 2024-11 — dishwasher — receipt.
• Keep the spreadsheet and photo folders together in one clearly named location.
• Update the spreadsheet when you replace something, rather than starting again.

High-value items and your policy limits

Most contents policies cover individual items up to a set limit, often around £1,500 or £2,000, and require anything above that to be listed separately. Bicycles, cameras, musical instruments, jewellery, watches and expensive art commonly fall into this category. Check your policy wording, then make sure your inventory flags those items clearly, with a professional valuation where the insurer asks for one.

Jewellery valuations typically need refreshing every few years, and a valuation is not the same as a receipt. If you have inherited pieces or items bought abroad, a valuation may be the only evidence you have.

Store it safely and keep it ticking over

An inventory kept only in the house it describes is of limited use if the house burns down. Keep a copy in cloud storage and, if you prefer, send a copy to a trusted relative or leave one with your solicitor. Password-protect the file if it includes serial numbers.

Then make it a small habit rather than a project. Add big purchases as they arrive, spend ten minutes updating the spreadsheet each January, and re-shoot a room after any significant change. Insurance is a promise you hope never to test, but a decent home inventory means that if you do, you will be able to claim what you are genuinely owed — without reconstructing your whole life from memory.