A home inventory is a record of everything you own — a photo, a rough value, and where each item lives. You keep one so that when you file an insurance claim, move house, or settle an estate, you aren't working from memory. Myne is a home inventory app that builds that record from your photos.
A home inventory is a list of the belongings in your home. Each entry names an item and, ideally, includes a photo, an estimated value, and where the item is kept. Together those entries form a record you can hand to an insurer, a mover, or a family member.
It doesn't need to be exhaustive to be useful. A list that covers your electronics, appliances, jewelry, tools, and furniture already covers most of what a claim or a move turns on. You can fill in the smaller things over time.
After a fire, theft, or flood, your insurer asks for a list of what was lost and what it was worth. A record made in advance means you aren't reconstructing years of purchases from memory during a stressful week.
A list of what you're packing tells you what should arrive. It's how you notice the box that didn't make it off the truck, and it settles any claim with the moving company.
When settling an estate or helping a parent downsize, an inventory gives executors and family a shared, honest picture of what exists and what it's worth.
If you sell things off, a catalog with photos and prices is most of the listing work already done. Export it or share a link instead of rebuilding it per item.
The method is the same whether you use paper, a spreadsheet, or an app. Five steps.
Pick one room and work through it. Rooms are the natural unit — it's easier to be thorough in one space than to wander the whole house.
A clear photo is the single most useful record. It proves the item existed, shows its condition, and jogs your memory later. Capture the brand and model where you can.
Add a rough value for each item. For anything expensive, record the purchase date, serial number, and keep the receipt. Ordinary items just need a reasonable estimate.
A list that burns with the house is no help. Store it in the cloud, or at least off-site, so it survives the event you made it for.
Add big purchases as they come in and glance over it once a year. A roughly current inventory is worth far more than a perfect one you never touch.
A spreadsheet is a fine place to start, and we ship a free template if that's your preference. But the work adds up: every field is typed by hand, and the photos end up somewhere else. Myne keeps the photo, value, and location on the item, and does the typing for you.
For a fuller breakdown of what the app does, see the features page.
The reason you're making an inventory shapes what to record. These go deeper, and the last two are free to print or download.
How to document belongings for a homeowners or renters claim, plus a printable checklist.
Read →How to inventory your belongings before a move so nothing goes missing in transit.
Read →How to catalog an estate for probate or downsizing, with a printable worksheet.
Read →A free room-by-room checklist you can print or save as a PDF.
Read →A free spreadsheet template (CSV) with sensible columns to fill in.
Read →Start free — 25 items and 100 AI scans, no card required. Snap a photo and Myne does the cataloging.