Many companies periodically conduct an inventory which allows them to maintain an accurate count of materials, detail a valuation of assets, and a provide a catalog for replacement needs in the event of natural disaster. Although inventories take time up front, they are great time management tools in the long term. Just compare the difference between doing something at your own pace, with items at hand, versus having to build lists from memory under stressful circumstances.

The same itemization is needed in our personal lives, both for legal (probating estates, bankruptcy proceedings) and financial purposes (insurance claims). No one likes to anticipate the possibility of a flood or tornado, yet the news shows that very few regions are exempt from the chance of a natural disaster.

When a stressful event occurs, it is hard enough to deal with the event itself. Wouldn’t it be helpful to have all of your paperwork in order so that this is one less thing on which you have to focus?

Now there is software to help you create the index you need for a home inventory. One of these is MakeLifeEasy. It assists you in creating files room-by-room.

What type of information should you include?

• Purchase date
• Brief description
• Serial number/model number
• Purchase price or replacement cost

Just as with other electronic documents, it is wise to maintain a copy of your inventory offsite. One option is to use a free or inexpensive online data storage provider. Vault 24, a Swiss-based company, costs $14.99 annually to store home inventories that you can access online in the event of a natural disaster.

In conjunction with a written inventory, you might include digital photos that you can keep on CDs offsite and videos where you can walk through a room and describe things as you go.

It is a big job to get this done the first time, but think about how much harder it could be under pressure. Count an inventory as both a time management tool and a stress management process. Just knowing you have this available helps to provide a sense of security.