September is National Preparedness Month.  After seeing the recent damage done by Hurricane Harvey and with fires blazing in other parts of the country, it is the perfect time to consider what you would do if you were to face the loss of your home.

Insurance experts recommend that you have a home inventory, which is a detailed documentation of your home and its contents.  Here are some simple guidelines for creating a home inventory:

• Start by listing all of the rooms in your home.
• List the features of each room like type of flooring, molding, window coverings, and any upgrades that add value to the room.
• List the materials used in cabinets, counter tops, vanities, showers, and tubs.
• If you have receipts for the upgrades, attach these to the list.
• Take general pictures or video of these rooms.
• Going room by room, make a list of all of your possessions.
• Describe each item, note where and when you bought it, and write down the brand, model number, and serial number, if applicable.
• If you still have the sales receipts or appraisal, attach these to the list as documentation.
• Take pictures of significant belongings and write on the back of each photo a description of the item or videotape your contents by walking throughout the house with a video recorder while talking about the objects being viewed.
• Store the inventory online, with your insurance agent, offsite at a friend or relative’s house or in a safe deposit box.

For more tips on preparing yourself for an emergency visit www.ready.gov. If you feel overwhelmed, we can help. Call Practical Solutions at (909)307-4862 to schedule a free consultation.