HOW TO FILL IT IN

What to write in each column

• Item: what it is, so a stranger could tell it apart: "grey three-seat sofa", not just "sofa".
• Brand and model: printed on the thing itself, its box or its manual. They decide what the same thing costs to replace.
• Serial number: on a sticker on the back or the bottom; phones, computers and TVs also show it in their settings. It helps prove the thing was yours if it is stolen.
• Bought and price paid: a month and a year are enough if you don't remember the day. A receipt, a bank statement or an online order shows both.
• Value today: what the same thing would cost new now. Policies differ: some pay that, others take off for age and wear. Your policy says which.
• Photo and receipt: tick them once you have them. A photo of each thing where it stands, and of its receipt, backs up the list.
• Renting a flat out, or moving in? Write the state of each thing in the Condition column, and both of you sign the printout.
• Keep a copy away from home: email the file to yourself or put it in cloud storage, so the list is not lost with the house.