Picture Your Stuff...

The other day I was speaking with a friend about taking pictures of my stuff every year.  She did not know exactly what I meant by that.

A little history ... years ago, I helped a friend clean up after her house fire. What a horrible nightmare.  The forms you had to fill out were extensive and terrible. You were expected to list everything you owned and the quantity of those items. We would stand there with me filling out the form and her trying to remember how many of what were in each of the burned out drawers and closets.  It was all in ashes or in a wet pile. It is a vision I will never forget.

As you read this, try and think about what is in your closets and drawers.  How many t-shirts do you have? How many kitchen gadgets do you own? What is hidden in that basement closet you never look in? 

So, once a year, we try and walk around the house and take videos and/or pictures of everything.  I open drawers, cabinets and closets.  I capture shots of library and curio shelves. I grab shots of the pictures on the walls.  I put a flash drive with these pictures/videos in the fire safe. I also keep copies on the network, if space allows.

This would by no means give me a true count of everything I owned, should the worse happen and we have a house fire.  But, I figure it will help jog my memory.

And... there is a fun, extra bonus.  Occasionally I glance at old pictures and enjoy seeing the decorations I used and the way things around the house have changed over the years.