Or you can keep things simpler by leaving out items with very little or no value. If you’re a detail-oriented person, you can make a record of every single thing in your garage, right down to those rusty old coffee cans filled with random screws, nuts, nails, and other hardware fasteners. Including the general location of where each item is stored is helpful, but not essential. Save any receipts for the most expensive items that are stored in the garage. Include the following important details for each item: Whichever method you choose, remember that the more detailed information you can input, the better. Making an inventory of your garage and home can be done in three ways: with a mobile app, using a paper checklist, and with photo or video documentation. It also makes it easier to know exactly what you owned so you can replace your favorite items with the same model if desired. Having a home garage inventory helps to speed up the insurance claims process so you can replace any damaged or stolen items that much quicker. Putting together a thorough home garage inventory will also make it easier to ensure you’re fairly compensated for stolen or damaged property.Īnother way to look at it is that having an accurate inventory of your house is a smart way to increase the return on investment of what you’re paying for homeowners insurance. Should the unexpected happen, you’ll be glad you were proactive and made a record of your belongings. You’ll be highly stressed already and shouldn’t be spending any of your brain bandwidth wondering if that stolen or damaged power tool was worth $300 or $500 when it’s time to file a police report and insurance claim.

In a time of crisis following a burglary, fire, or severe weather event that damages your home, trying to remember what items were stored in your garage won’t be easy. The room typically contains several expensive items (aside from vehicles), like sports equipment, high-end hand tools, power tools, and outdoor power equipment.Ī home garage inventory helps in a time of crisis Anyone who owns a house should have a home garage inventory, along with a detailed list of everything else that’s being kept under their roof.Īccording to the Insurance Information Institute, o nly 49% of American homeowners have a record of the contents of their homes, however.Ĭreating a home inventory list is admittedly one of those time-consuming tasks that tend to get put off, like cleaning out the garage.īut taking the time to properly itemize everything you own is essential in case something unexpected happens to your home, such as a burglary or damage from a fire or a natural disaster.Ī home garage inventory is also important to put together because garages are one of the most common entry points into a house for burglars.

Home inventory list example