inventory of stuff

[blackolive (Ste)]

was having a half joking half serious discussion with the missus last night as one of my parents is in hospital around how she would deal with the "stuff" in the garage/radio shack, if anything unforeseen happened to me and she was widowed.

There is an awful lot of junk in there carefully squirreled away over the years but between the various machines, and radio sets and ancilliaries etc, theres also quite a bit of value in there.

also if there was ever a break in, apart from the big bits, It would take me ages to suss out what had actually been taken for insurance claim purposes.

Just wondering really whats the best way to create an inventory of it all, do I just do a word document with a description/pictures/value of the items or does anyone have any bright ideas the best way to go about it please ?

 

[julianf]

Just make sure you don't keep the inventory on the shiny, nice for thieves, laptop...

If you want to get crazy, give each item a number, and use Excel. Maybe even get a set of marking punches....

 

[rtbcomp]

Or barcode them, portable scanners are dirt cheap these days. I would certainly document the most valuable bits and leave a copy with your will. I'd go along with @julianf and use a spreadsheet, that way you can get totals of what your stuff is worth.

I'm doing a similar exercise at the moment prior to (hopeful) moving house, stuff is packed away in numbered boxes and what's in each box listed on a spreadsheet so if I need anything I can search the spreadsheet to see which box it's in.

 

[BarrieJ]

Quite a few years ago a work friend of my wife's had exactly this discussion with her late father, who like so many of us apparently had several sheds and the odd lock up full of accumulated stuff. It was agreed that he'd make a full inventory using his old desktop computer and creating a dedicated file on there.
As far as the daughter was concerned, all had gone well and her dad had confirmed he'd done what he'd promised.
Then somewhat unexpectedly her father had a fatal heart attack and died.

The problem emerged when it was discovered that no one knew the password to his computer.

He was born French but as a teenager had escaped to Britain during WW2, met an English girl and never returned to France after the war, so his daughter knew that his computer password could have been in English, partially French partially English, maybe all French, maybe historic, she never knew where exactly in France he was from or even his parent's names, they both having died during the war and he would never speak of them.

The old PC remained locked. The daughter and her husband disposed of his stuff as they thought best with I believe much of it going to the local dump.

I feel there's a lesson in there but despite surviving a near fatal heart attack myself, I'm yet to make a start on the promised inventory...
Must confess to feeling a bit guilty sitting here on the forum, when I could be doing just that.

 

[maz0]

Whats that old saying, "my biggest fear is that when I die she sells all my tools for what I told her I paid for them"

 

[MBB]

I have the same problem at 77 I've slowly been getting rid of bits and pieces that I have had for years and now been selling some of them on here.
My wife is to old to bother with the hassle of sorting them out and my sons aren't interested. They will probably end up in the scrapyard even the valuable stuff. the trouble is I don't want to post and I'm in Northumberland so collection is difficult for a great number of people. I've no doubt other members on here suffer from the same predicament.

 

[colnerov]

Hi, Don't just rely on an electronic version because of the BarrieJ situation or the computer being stolen or crashing or any other drama, print a hard copy off and store it elsewhere.

Colin

 

[Cobbler]

The bit about inventory's reminded me, a mate had a small engineering company, he got another mate to pat test everything for Him, now the pat testing mate is a bit over the top with recording everything whether it needs it or not. The engineering company had a break in which left the office virtually stripped of all electrical stuff. The first thing that the insurance said, prove what you had, we need receipts & numbers. He handed over a copy of the spread sheet from the pat testing, with all the series numbers, any dates etc. It all paid off as the insurance company couldn't argue that the items didn't exist, as they try to.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Anything I/you/we leave behind will only be .....

a) worth what someone is prepared to pay for it [not a lot, in many cases]
b) a source of family fall-outs [ask me how I know this...... My 2 brothers fell out over father's watch (not gold) and still don't speak to this day, 40 years on ]

 

[R-D-R]

I’ve been through this. Having been robbed 5 times in past few years I lost all my tools etc. First time round was a nightmare as insurance wanted me to detail everything stolen.

Now I have photographs of it all. I’ve pictures of all my tool draws, power tools (inc close up of serial) and I photo receipts as things are bought.

Made the recent robberies easier, ironically some of the tools stolen were still boxed up new from the previous insurance Claim!

 

[Screwdriver]

I think your best bet is to nominate a "best man" who can sort it all out in the unfortunate event of your inevitable death. Someone you can trust, with a van.
Since you ask, yes, I'll do it. Just let me know when you're dead.

 

[500e]

Photos are a help have picks of most of my hand tools & views of home workshop with a list & value.
Been lucky so far! found an arm through the cat flap one night trying to reach the key, though it was a rat so hit it with a a heavy object,it made a loud noise & retreated

 

[bletchmonster]

Just leave it all to the forum. Rest assured we'll have your shed picked clean before you've gone cold ( probably before you've hit the ground in reality)

This thread reminds me I should put arrangements in place myself. Happily leave my gear to mates-- but only if I think they will look after it, thats the tough bit

 

[Cobbler]

Photos are a help have picks of most of my hand tools & views of home workshop with a list & value.
Been lucky so far! found an arm through the cat flap one night trying to reach the key, though it was a rat so hit it with a a heavy object,it made a loud noise & retreated

You obviously didn't hit it hard enough, it should have been in no state to retreat

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Just let me know when you're dead.

Did you ever work for Lambeth Council, by any chance? They once wrote to the deceased advising that his Housing Benefit was being stopped, and I quote, "Because you are dead".

 

[blackolive (Ste)]

Just leave it all to the forum. Rest assured we'll have your shed picked clean before you've gone cold ( probably before you've hit the ground in reality)

This thread reminds me I should put arrangements in place myself. Happily leave my gear to mates-- but only if I think they will look after it, thats the tough bit

LOL Ironically this happened when I gave notice to quit my allotment a number of years ago, they ripped the shed door off its hinges and cleared the lot out, even taking the wood for the raised borders that were planted out. The allotment society formed a closed shop despite me finding stuff all over the allotments.

thanks for all the replies, will document and photograph the stuff of value and keep hardcopy in the safe. not planning going anywhere for at least another 40 years but you never knpw

 

[addjunkie]

I’ve been through this. Having been robbed 5 times in past few years I lost all my tools etc. First time round was a nightmare as insurance wanted me to detail everything stolen.

Now I have photographs of it all. I’ve pictures of all my tool draws, power tools (inc close up of serial) and I photo receipts as things are bought.

Made the recent robberies easier, ironically some of the tools stolen were still boxed up new from the previous insurance Claim!

Im currently sorting my old mans place out he passed about 6 weeks ago. But today I found the little 35 mm camera hed taken pictures of my tools years ago, with my son holding drawers open and pointing at stuff. After a burglary ...it was prove you had snap on, everone says that. The old man produced the pictures.

His estate has been fairly easy so far as he had what we joked about being his death book. Badically an old ledger with all his accounts, spending etc over the last 30 years.

My Mrs wants me to do a similar book as her father has one too.

As for his tools all the decent stuff my nephew has as we are well tooled up. Now if any one wants 60 used golf clubs that obviously dont work let me know we have a fair collection to get rid of.

 

[Cobbler]

Sorry to hear about your father, it's a horrible job to sort it all out. When I did my parents, I felt like a trespasser in the house.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Now if any one wants 60 used golf clubs that obviously dont work let me know we have a fair collection to get rid of.

 

[Turbo]

A local guy has just died aged just 59. His business was sales & service of lawnmowers, saws, strimmers & garden equipment. He was also a firearms dealer & supplied shooting gear.
His place was an Aladdin's cave but he knew where everything was. He was very good at his job & a nice guy to deal with. I'm not sure what will happen the business as he had only a few part time seasonal staff, probably nobody to take it over. I feel sorry for his family, as well as losing him they are going to have a big job trying to sort out the business.