Home inventory checklist, room by room
Use this as a walk-through. For each thing you find, note what it is and take a photo. The rooms people forget are listed first, because they are the easiest to leave off a list.
For each item, record: what it is, the make and model, the serial number if it has one, roughly when you bought it and what you paid, what it would cost to replace today, and a photo of the item and its label.
The ones people forget
Garage and workshop
Power tools and their batteries, hand tools and toolboxes, the lawn mower, trimmers and blowers, pressure washer, ladders, bikes, camping gear, sports equipment, a second fridge or freezer, car accessories and roof racks.
Closets
Clothing and shoes add up to more than most people expect. Photograph each closet, then list coats, suits, designer pieces, handbags and shoes separately.
Basement, attic and storage
Holiday decorations, luggage, stored furniture, off-season gear, and anything in a storage unit. Check whether your policy covers belongings kept away from home, and for how much.
Drawers and cabinets
Cameras and lenses, headphones, smartwatches, old phones and tablets, hard drives, chargers, collectible coins and stamps. Small, easy to lose track of, and often worth more together than the furniture they are in.
Room by room
Living room
TV and wall mount, soundbar and speakers, streaming devices and game consoles, sofa and chairs, tables, rugs, lamps, art and framed prints, books and records.
Kitchen
Refrigerator, range, dishwasher and microwave; small appliances such as a stand mixer, espresso machine, air fryer or blender; cookware, knives, dishes, glassware and flatware.
Dining room
Table and chairs, sideboard or buffet, china, crystal and silver.
Bedrooms
Beds and mattresses, dressers and nightstands, bedding, TVs, jewelry, watches and clothing.
Home office
Computers and monitors, printer, desk and chair, phones, tablets, external drives and cameras.
Bathrooms
Hair tools, electric toothbrushes and shavers, towels and linens.
Kids' rooms
Furniture, electronics and game systems, toys and collections, bikes and sports gear.
Laundry
Washer and dryer, iron or steamer, vacuum and floor cleaners.
Outdoors
Grill or smoker, patio furniture, outdoor heaters, kayaks and paddleboards, play equipment, and garden tools.
Valuables, separately
Jewelry, watches, art, collectibles, firearms and musical instruments deserve more than a line each: a close-up photo, any appraisal or certificate, and a note of where the paperwork is kept. Some of these — jewelry, watches and firearms especially — are commonly capped for theft unless they are listed on the policy individually. Your inventory is how you find out whether yours should be.
Once it is done
- Keep a copy outside the house.
- Add big purchases as you make them.
- Look it over at every policy renewal, and compare the total with your coverage.
More on each of those in how to make a home inventory for an insurance claim, and on what happens after a loss in what an adjuster asks for.
Last reviewed September 2026. General information, not insurance or legal advice — your policy's wording decides what is covered and how it is valued.
Faster than typing it
Asset Logging captures an item by scanning its barcode or photographing its serial label, and you pick the room as you go, so the list comes out sorted by room. Walk the house with your phone instead of a notepad.
14 days of Pro free. No card required. iPhone and iPad for now — Android is on the way.