How to Make a Video Home Inventory

Making an inventory of your home is easier with a video camera.

In the event of a burglary, fire or natural disaster, a video inventory of your home's contents can help ensure that you receive fair compensation for your lost or damaged property from your insurance company. The video can stand alone or be used to complement a list.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Video camera

1. Clean your house. It's easier to get an accurate video of your home if it's clean. Do your best to declutter and straighten up before you begin filming your home inventory.

2. Choose the room where you'd like to begin. It's best to shoot the video of your home in an organized fashion so you don't miss any rooms or belongings. Top to bottom or north to south are possible options.

3. Record your name, the date, the time and the location of your home on the video. This will help avoid confusion, especially if you make additional videos at a later date.

4. Move slowly through your home and videotape your belongings, pausing on specific items of importance or high monetary value. You don't need to pause on every single item of clothing; instead, slowly pan through the entire closet to get an overview of the amount and styles of clothes.

5. Narrate through the entire process. Point out any items of high value, such as electronics, appliances, art or jewelry. If you remember how much they cost, mention this in the narration. It's easier to remember the value of items when you're making your inventory than when you're under stress after a burglary or natural disaster.

6. Store copies of the finished video and any accompanying paper inventory in a safe place, such as a safe deposit box at your bank. You should also consider sending a copy to an out-of-state family member or uploading it to an online storage site.

References

• State Farm: Creating a Home Inventory

Resources

• University of Georgia Extension Service: Home Disaster Preparedness Plan