If you’ve ever had to deal with an insurance company on a claim, then you know it can seem like an uphill battle — no matter the circumstances. With all of the natural and manmade disasters seeming to occur with greater frequency, we suggest taking the time to create a household inventory of your own. A smartly organized listing of the items in your home, and the values associated with them, can mean the difference between a successful reimbursement for a claim and one in which you may not receive all you initially expected.

Here are some suggestions on how to create a home inventory and for identifying those items that should be included to ensure a maximum return, should a claim need to be filed.

Getting started… In today’s high-tech world, you know “there’s an app for that.” And it’s certainly true in the case of household inventories. A few apps for your home inventory organization are:

• MyStuff2 Lite – this app allows you to keep track of just about anything and even includes a barcode scanner for quickly and easily adding items (think DVD collection).

• Boxella – a unique app, built to track manuals, receipts, warranties, etc., all in one location.

• Visual Inventory – this app gives you the ability to take a photo of a room and tag all of your possessions.

• CBData – organizes and stores personal, family and small business information and has the ability to attach documents and pictures.

• MyHome Lite – you can easily organize your inventory with this app, and give it an additional layer of protection with password protection.

• Inventory Buddy – helps you organize inventory lists for multiple properties; great if you’re a property manager or own a vacation home.

Smart thinking – A few suggestions on how to take an effective household inventory:

Take pictures! Or video works, too. Open doors, drawers and cabinets to ensure you have a shot of all of the contents.

• Consider categorizing your items, or listing them room-by-room.

• Keep receipts (ideally, scan them into your computer) for big ticket items and implement proven digital and/or paper filing tips to keep them organized and accessible.

• Have all antiques or collectables appraised (make sure it’s certified), and file the information with your inventory.

• Be as detailed as possible when listing each item — write a short description and include serial numbers and brand names.

• Don’t forget to photograph new additions as you purchase them.

Secure storage is key! Share your household inventory with your attorney, a trusted family member, or insurance agent to ensure it will be available when needed. Offsite storage of your inventory whether it be a secure cloud based solution or in another physical location is essential. Ensure that, however you choose to store your inventory, you are applying our paper filing tips for organized records that are easy to add to and navigate.