How to conduct your home inventory

Now that you know what you need, here’s how to get started:

1)Systematically go through your house or apartment one room at a time*. 2)List down each item in room, including contents of desks, drawers, closets, etc. 3)Describe each item as completely as possible, recording all details as discussed in previous section. 4)When you’ve finished all rooms in your house, don’t forget garage, patio, outside buildings, etc.

*You might be tempted to skip from one room to next recording “high dollar” items only. But, while this is better than nothing, remember that “little items” can really add up also, and in event of a disaster, these items might be most difficult to remember.

What’s next?

Ok, so after you’ve completed your home inventory you know what you have and how much it’s worth. Great! Now review your home insurance policy - Are you over insured? Under insured? Perhaps for first time, you can answer this question easily by comparing your policy amount to total value of your household items.

Remember, if you store your home inventory list in your home, it could be destroyed along with your belongings. Whether your home inventory consists of a written list, diskette, cd-rom, paper report, photographs, or whatever, be sure to store it in a safe place - preferably in another location such as at your work place, a friend’s house, or in a safe-deposit box.

Don’t put it off!

Perhaps you’ve been reading this article and thinking about creating your own home inventory. Get started now while it’s fresh in your mind!

If you have just moved into an apartment or house, starting your home inventory may be an easy task. This is a great time to begin organizing your home inventory. If you’ve been living in your house for awhile, however, you may have a lot of work to do. Now is time to start! Plan to inventory at least one room in your house this week, and continue one room at a time until you’re done.

Over several months we worked on a program to recreate balance in her life. By time we were a month or two into it, she had fallen back in love with her job, and her husband and she told me she finally knew who she was and what she wanted from her life.

The following is backbone of what Barbara and I worked on: 5 strategies to bring balance into your life. I’d invite you to play with them, perhaps take them on as homework and see if they bring you results.

1. You are number one. Contrary to what you’re taught you have to take care of yourself first. You know when you are on a plane and flight attendant gives you briefing about what to do if oxygen is needed? You must put mask on YOURSELF first before assisting others. What good can you be to anyone if you are in terrible shape yourself? So, first order of business in creating balance is SELF CARE. Do you eat well, do you exercise regularly, and do you take vacations?

2. Get to know yourself. Answer questions: Who am I? And what are my values and priorities? A good way to engage with these questions is through journaling. Get a special journal and begin a relationship with yourself. Light a candle; spend 5 minutes a day writing for you.

3. What are you currently tolerating? What sucks your energy and drains you? What are annoying things that if you eliminated them would free up more time? It can be anything from a squeaky door that bothers you to not having office equipment working well to relationships that are draining or toxic. Make a list of these things and begin to handle them. Get them off your plate.

4. Develop a really good support system. Let’s face it we all need support and sometimes it’s hard to ask for help. Often times difference between getting successful results or not depends on how well supported you are.

5. Nurture your spirit and your dreams. What lights you up? Is it nature, culture, great conversations with friends, your relationship to a higher power? Consider spending regular time every week with these things. This is time that refills well, so to speak. By paying attention to what inspires you, you begin to build a reserve of energy to draw from when you are stressed.

Play with these 5 strategies (even if you only can manage one or two, you will receive benefit) and see what starts to happen…

Creating work/life balance takes courage, commitment, willingness and support. When you incorporate these structures and strategies into your life you will get results.

Aren’t YOU worth it?

It’s YOUR life…imagine possibilities!