Taking Home Inventory

I started a project a few weeks ago, and I spent a few hours every weekend trying to get it done.  What I started was an inventory of everything of value in my home.  I actually used two different methods to get this done.  One is where I just used Excel to create a simple spreadsheet where I can enter information like the description, part number, serial number, price paid, etc.  It's a simple way to do it, but it gets the job done and I can store the file offline if needed.

The other method I used was creating a home inventory database in Bento.  I did this really because I wanted to see how it worked, and I like this method because I can easily find items such as media entries.  These were two different ways to do it, but both essentially have the same information, just different ways to keep it organized.

The next step was to take images of all these items.  Once everything is complete you should make backup copies of the data and the images and keep them offsite where you can easily get access to them if needed.

Why do a home inventory?  Well there are a couple of good reasons like for tax purposes, insurance claims, etc.  It is a time consuming process, but it is definitely a smart thing to do.