[jpzk]

After many years procrastinating , we have (my wife and I) finally decided to complete an inventory of our home content for insurance purposes.
The easy part, so to speak, is to fill in an Excel file that covers pretty much everything.

The insurer recommends to have pictures, or a video (not too crazy about that), of "everything" !! That could be quite interesting given the loads of stuff to be photographed.

The questions:

1. The type of photos: JPEG's in which "size"? -- to keep at a minimum file size while retaining decent details; there will be hundreds !
2. The type of camera: would a simple "smart" phone be OK? I have a Samsung Galaxy S5 handy.
3. Where/in which type of "browser" ? - in order to have an easy search, just in case it is needed. Is there such a thing as a "portable" browser?
4. The storage medium: USB key? Good idea to have a copy on one USB key and then another at a different place?
5. We are using "Open Office" for the .xls file: is there a way to put all of those images in there?
6. Is there a free downloadable "something" out there that can handle all of that, list of items and images?

Any suggestions anyone?

Thanks in advance!

[monochrome]

Quicken has an inventory module that can do everything you ask.

• Export to DVD
• Smal jpeg images are attached by 'room' of 'closet' or piece of furniture
• Cloud backup or other backup just like your image files

I took a photo of each side of each room, then entered every item in every photo in the Quicken module
Open a closet, take a photo, enter the items. They don't need to see every item; just that your claimed inventory is credible.
Open a drawer, take a photo, enter the items
Anything with a serial, enter the serials and shoot the serials (drawer full of lenses with covers off)
Open the silver cabinet, shoot it, count the forks, enter in Quicken. Same with China.
CD's, books and DVD's, shoot them and count them. What they are doesn't matter.
Separately photograph jewelry pieces and valuable watches, electronics (incl. Serial plates), tools, etc. scan any jewelry appraisals and save off-site.
Don't forget the garage.
Don't forget the basement.
Scan any receipts you still have and add to the proper room section

It will take a long time. Do a room a week, or every couple days.

When you add things up you will find the contents of your home is 10x what your insurance coverage says it is

[jpzk]

Quicken has an inventory module that can do everything you ask.

• Export to DVD
• Smal jpeg images are attached by 'room' of 'closet' or piece of furniture
• Cloud backup or other backup just like your image files

I took a photo of each side of each room, then entered every item in every photo in the Quicken module
Open a closet, take a photo, enter the items. They don't need to see every item; just that your claimed inventory is credible.
Open a drawer, take a photo, enter the items
Anything with a serial, enter the serials and shoot the serials (drawer full of lenses with covers off)
Open the silver cabinet, shoot it, count the forks, enter in Quicken. Same with China.
CD's, books and DVD's, shoot them and count them. What they are doesn't matter.
Separately photograph jewelry pieces and valuable watches, electronics (incl. Serial plates), tools, etc. scan any jewelry appraisals and save off-site.
Don't forget the garage.
Don't forget the basement.
Scan any receipts you still have and add to the proper room section

It will take a long time. Do a room a week, or every couple days.

When you add things up you will find the contents of your home is 10x what your insurance coverage says it is

Thanks for the reply.
I browsed to see where to get this but only found "Item not available" or "Out of stock".
Is this it: Amazon.com: Quicken Home Inventory Manager[site|ttr[cat|688[art|NA[pid|51189[tid|NA[bbc|NA
Also: do you have to have the "basic" Quicken first in order to install this (if it will become available) ?
B&H also shows it as "No Longer Available"

[monochrome]

Thanks for the reply.
I browsed to see where to get this but only found "Item not available" or "Out of stock".
Also: do you have to have the "basic" Quicken first in order to install this (if it will become available) ?

It's made by Intuit. I don't think they sell Quicken Home Inventory free-standing any more, but maybe you can find a NIB old version on eBay.

I have I think Quicken Premiere which was an upgrade from Quicken. It includes the Home Inventory module. The basic Quicken was a free promotion when I bought TurboTax. I think it was $39.95 for the upgrade.

You can do the same thing with just a spreadsheet, adding a link to the image file name in a field. It's all in how you design your rows and columns. Design it with paper and pencil first if that would help.

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Last edited by monochrome; 03-16-2017 at 08:13 PM.

[jpzk]

I have I think Quicken premiere which was an upgrade from Quicken. The basic Quicken was a free promotion when I bought TurboTax. I think it was $39.95 for the upgrade.

You can do the same thing with just a spreadsheet, adding a link to the image file name in a field. It's all in how you design your rows and columns. Do it with paper and pencil first if that would help.

Thanks again.
Looks like I will have to start from scratches.
The spreadsheet* we wanted use for that is fine, but it seems to not accept uploading photos and/or change the cells (i.e.: "protected").

* The spreadsheet is from the Insurance Bureau of Canada and is downloadable as a "unit" in which one can enter myriads of info, however I cannot change/modify some cells as it shows "protected" if you try to make changes.
We use Open Office (rather than Excel).
Here is a screen shot of this (part of) spreadsheet below: it's in French but that'll show how it is once downloaded. That is only a part of the spreadsheet of course, as there are several more pages to it.

I suppose I'm better off starting a new one from scratch?

Thanks!

[monochrome]

@jpzk Your download looks a lot like the Quicken program. The organization is similar. The use categories with pull-down selection items in Quicken to build a searchable database of items. If you make it yourself you want to think about descriptions from broad to specific, make a column for each and then a description Cell, Serial # Cell amen value Cell. You can then sort by any column and make sub-total and counts using formulas.

For Instance
Room > Category > Type > Description > Serial > Date Acquired > Price/Value > PhotoLink > Receipt Link
Categories might be Furniture or Clothing
Types of Furniture might be Dresser or Bed
Serial wouldn't apply to a bed
Description might be Ethan Allen Tradtional 4-Poster Cherry Wood Queen size head/footboard and side rails
Then you would make a similar entry for the mattress and the box spring foundation, filling in all the prior field for sorting (you can copy and paste these).

Or you can just count the number of items and enter them the way the downloaded spreadsheet does it.

PITA, right

[jpzk]

@jpzk Your download looks a lot like the Quicken program. The organization is similar. The use categories with pull-down selection items in Quicken to build a searchable database of items. If you make it yourself you want to think about descriptions from broad to specific, make a column for each and then a description Cell, Serial # Cell amen value Cell. You can then sort by any column and make sub-total and counts using formulas.

For Instance
Room > Category > Type > Description > Serial > Date Acquired > Price/Value > PhotoLink > Receipt Link
Categories might be Furniture or Clothing
Types of Furniture might be Dresser or Bed
Serial wouldn't apply to a bed
Description might be Ethan Allen Tradtional 4-Poster Cherry Wood Queen size head/footboard and side rails
Then you would make a similar entry for the mattress and the box spring foundation, filling in all the prior field for sorting (you can copy and paste these).

Or you can just count the number of items and enter them the way the downloaded spreadsheet does it.

PITA, right

Seems like a chore to me ! but of course, although it is indeed a PITA, at least it would be custom made to my liking.
I'll see what I can come up with and figure out the formulas (something I haven't done for a very long time).
Thanks again for the input.

[monochrome]

Yeah, it is a chore, and your insurance company hopes you never do it.