Organizing expert Julie Morgenstern on how breaking it down can help you make a full recovery
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“Create a Home Inventory” is one of those pestering tasks you could go your whole life without doing, and get away with it. Until you don’t. Until there’s a flood, or a fire, or you’re the victim of a robbery. All unpleasant and unanticipated thoughts, but all possible. And in times of such stress, how many of us would really remember all the valuable contents of our home?
Think of a home inventory as a record of the money you’ve spent; a tool that helps you recover the full value of your possessions if the unthinkable does happen. With inventory in hand, you can move faster to file a claim with your insurance company – speeding processing – and you’ll have a much better chance of maintaining your lifestyle after the disaster.
To get over the paralysis that often accompanies this chore, I recommend applying a technique called Minimum-Moderate-Maximum (handy for getting over all sorts of perfectionism). Basically, before tackling any overwhelming task you define three levels of effort: (minimum, moderate, maximum), and then determine which level is appropriate to the task at hand. To decide on your Home Inventory, consider three key factors: the amount of time you have, the estimated value of the items you own and your risk factors (e.g. home in a high crime area, on a flood plain, etc.)
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New York Times bestselling author Julie Morgenstern is an organizing and time-management expert, business productivity consultant and speaker. Her company, Julie Morgenstern Enterprises, is dedicated to using her philosophies and methods to provide a wide range of practical solutions that transform the way people and companies function.
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Interesting article. I’ve photographed a few valuable items in my house, but never thought to create an entire inventory – something that no doubt would be useful in case of fire or major theft.
I also like the minimum-moderate-maximum idea - I am often paralyzed due to feeling the need to do everything perfectly.
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