Home inventory

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 I understand that a home inventory is crucial information to have in the event of a loss caused by a burglary, fire, tornado or flood. But I was wondering in what other ways this information I've collected might be helpful. A home inventory can prove to be a useful tool when it comes to organizing one's home and keeping it that way, says central Arkansas-based professional organizer Becca Clark, owner of Creative Convenience (convenientlyorganized.com). She says some of the advantages to creating a home inventory include: Becoming more organized in general -- Knowing what you have and the details about your possessions can help you be better organized. "It's best to have a location specific inventory," Clark says. "List your possessions by room, closet, even drawer and cabinet to create a super organized system for accessibility, which is the primary goal of organizing. Clearing out unnecessary or unwanted items -- For those who have too many items in their homes, creating an inventory will help illuminate the excess. "This will help [or force] residents to really look at the number of things they own, especially duplicates, to make judicious and rigorous edits," Clark says. Planning for garage, yard or estate sales -- Understanding what you have will help you grasp what you do not need anymore. Additional purchases -- Being able to access a home's inventory via a phone or laptop can also help people avoid buying duplicates. "You will save time and money by 'shopping' at home when you know what you have and can easily find it," Clark says. Planning for the future -- Knowing what is tucked away in storage units can also assist with estate planning. But, she says, "The biggest savings is to eliminate off-site storage completely by purging unused stuff. "An inventory that includes the ages of appliances will help with planning and budgeting for future repair and replacement," she says. Tracking finances -- Other advantages to creating a home inventory include financial, such as helping to calculate net worth and making sure you have adequate insurance for home and possessions. Do you have a decorating or remodeling question? Contact Linda S. Haymes, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or email: lhaymes@arkansasonline.com HomeStyle on 06/21/2014 Print Headline: ASK THE EXPERT