Could you remember everything that you own?

October 2026 | Delaware Valley Home Inventory

According to a 2023 consumer survey conducted by the Insurance Information Institute and Munich Re, only 47% of homeowners reported having prepared an inventory of their belongings for insurance losses. [1] More than half had not prepared one for that purpose.

If someone challenged you to write down everything you owned, how far would you get? My guess is “not very far.” Over a lifetime, we accumulate many things, some big, some small. Some of high value, some not. But do you really know what you own?

Every sheet, every towel, every article of clothing. What about silverware in the kitchen or tools in the garage? When you stop to think about it, the task can be overwhelming. Even when someone starts an inventory, it may never get finished. When it’s needed, it’s not there.

If a homeowner experiences a fire, water damage, or flooding without an inventory, they may have to reconstruct a list of belongings from memory. That’s hard enough under normal circumstances, let alone during an already stressful time.

When estate planning, the need for a will is clear. But what about personal belongings? Will they go to family members, be sold, donated, or disposed of? Items with little financial value may mean the world to someone. Without a record, settling a loved one’s estate can become even more overwhelming.

When settling a divorce, dividing personal property can also be difficult. Furniture, electronics, collectibles, and everyday household items all need to be considered. An inventory can help identify what is owned and make those decisions a little easier.

Most of us don’t think about documenting our belongings until there’s a reason to do so. By then, the task may be much harder—or even too late.

A home inventory isn’t just about preparing for the unexpected. It’s a clear, organized record of what you’ve accumulated over the years, whether it’s financially valuable, personally meaningful, or part of everyday life.

So, could you remember everything you own? And perhaps more importantly, would you want to have to?

At Delaware Valley Home Inventory, we understand these needs and help homeowners create these records before they need them.

[1] Source: Insurance Information Institute, Facts + Statistics: Homeowners and Renters Insurance (2023 Triple-I/Munich Re survey). iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-homeowners-and-renters-insurance