How to begin documenting what you owned without feeling like you have to remember everything at once.
We Lost a Lot of Belongings.
start anywhere
If you’ve lost a large portion of your belongings (or everything) it can feel impossible to know where to begin.
Many homeowners say this part of recovery is harder than they expected. You’re asked to remember, describe, and value everyday items that were part of your life, often while you’re still processing the loss itself.
If you feel frozen, emotional, or unsure how to start, that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It means this stage is genuinely hard.
This page is here to help you start without pressure, and to show you how personal property documentation usually unfolds in real life.
After a loss, insurance typically requires homeowners to document personal property in detail. This can include:
What you owned
How many items there were
What condition they were in
What it would cost to replace them
For someone who’s just experienced a major disruption, this can feel overwhelming or even unfair. The task isn’t just administrative — it asks you to mentally revisit what’s gone. That’s why many claims stall here. Not because personal property doesn’t matter, but because it’s emotionally and cognitively demanding.
What’s Actually Going On
Our Starting Point
This part of the claim is difficult because:
You’re relying on memory, not checklists you prepared in advance
Individual items feel insignificant, but collectively add up
Emotional attachment overlaps with financial documentation
There’s fear that missing something means losing money forever
It’s common to think:
I don’t even know what I owned.
How can I possibly remember everything?
What if I mess this up?
These concerns are normal — and they’re why how you start matters more than how fast you go.
Why This Stage Feels So Hard
What matters right now
Starting somewhere, not everywhere. Momentum matters more than completeness.
Using our articles, not memory alone. Routines, categories, and habits unlock recall.
Capturing patterns - such as hobbies. Similar items can often be grouped.
Keeping things flexible. Inventories are built and refined over time.
What usually doesn’t matter yet
Exact brands or model numbers
Perfect descriptions or pricing
Completing every room immediately
Doing this all in one sitting
At this stage, gentle progress beats forced accuracy.
What Matters Right Now (and What Usually Doesn’t)
Homeowners often assume:
They need to remember everything up front
Missing items can’t be added later
Inventory has to be perfect to be accepted
Small or everyday items don’t matter
In reality, personal property claims are typically iterative. Lists grow, details improve, and documentation evolves as the claim progresses. What matters most is that you begin in a way you can sustain.
Common Inventory Pitfalls
Explore Guides That Help You Start
These resources are designed to make inventory manageable — not overwhelming:
Toys & Games
Tools
Kitchens
The kitchen is often the heart of the home, filled with a variety of appliances, cookware, and dining essentials that need to be carefully documented during an insurance Claim or construction project. Of course, a thorough inventory of your kitchen helps ensure that all belongings are accounted for, making the insurance or renovation process smoother.
This guide provides homeowners with an organized approach to inventorying the kitchen and associated supplies.
Tools, whether for home improvement, vehicle maintenance, or yard care, represent a significant investment. Properly inventorying your tools ensures that they are covered by insurance in case of loss, theft, or damage.
This chapter provides an overview of the key steps for creating an inventory of your tools, organized into a number of categories.
Toys and games, especially high-end collectibles or specialized play items, can accumulate significant value over time. Properly inventorying these items ensures they are protected in case of damage, loss, or theft.
This chapter provides a high-level overview of how to inventory toys and games, and organizes your inventory around a number of categories.
INVENTORY THOUGHT STARTERS
Fine Art Coverage
Replacement Cost
Personal Property Coverage
One of the most essential components of a homeowners insurance policy is Personal Property coverage, which provides financial protection for your personal belongings in the event they are damaged, destroyed, or stolen. This coverage applies to items such as furniture, electronics, clothing, and other personal effects. Understanding how Personal Property coverage works, what it covers, and how claims are processed is crucial for ensuring your possessions are adequately protected.
This detailed guide will explain Personal Property coverage, break down its key components, and provide specific examples to help you better understand how this coverage applies in various scenarios.
When you purchase homeowners insurance, your policy typically includes coverage for your personal property—your belongings like furniture, electronics, clothing, and more. However, the standard coverage usually reimburses you based on the Actual Cash Value (ACV) of these items, which means the payout reflects Depreciation over time. To ensure you can fully replace your belongings without factoring in depreciation, you can add a Replacement Cost Coverage for Personal Property Endorsement to your policy.
This detailed guide will explain what Replacement Cost Coverage for Personal Property is, how it works, and provide specific examples to help homeowners understand its importance and application.
Homeowners insurance is designed to protect your home and its contents, but when it comes to valuable items like fine art, the standard coverage may not be enough. Art pieces, whether they are paintings, sculptures, antiques, or other collectibles, often require specialized insurance to ensure they are adequately protected. This is where a Fine Art Coverage endorsement becomes essential.
This detailed guide will explain what Fine Art Coverage endorsements are, how they work, and provide specific examples to help homeowners understand their importance and application.
INSURANCE COVERAGES
Depreciation Tables For Items
PERSONAL PROPERTY DOC
Our Depreciation Tables for Items primer helps you understand how item age, condition, and category can affect claim value.
Some homeowners are able to complete personal property documentation on their own once they find a workable starting point. Others discover that the scope is far larger than expected — hundreds or thousands of items — and difficult to manage alongside rebuilding, displacement, and daily responsibilities.
That’s often when people consider working with a licensed public adjuster.
Loti helps homeowners organize and document personal property claims in a way that reflects real life — not just spreadsheets — and, when appropriate, adjusts claims to ensure nothing is unintentionally left behind.
Our goal isn’t to rush this process. It’s to make it manageable and fair.
A Note About Support
You’re Allowed to Take This in Pieces
You don’t need to finish your inventory today. You don’t need to remember everything right now. And you don’t need to do this alone if it becomes too much.
Starting — even imperfectly — is enough for now.