It's a Thursday afternoon in late April. The sky over Amarillo turns that greenish-gray color every Panhandle resident knows too well. The hail starts—first marble-sized, then golf ball, then bigger. By the time it's over, your roof is damaged, a tree has gone through your living room window, and water is pouring into your home.

Now you need to tell your insurance company everything that was in that room. Every piece of furniture. Every electronic. Every piece of clothing. Every kitchen appliance. Every tool in the garage.

Can you do that from memory?

Most people can't. And that's exactly why a home inventory is one of the most important things you can do before storm season peaks in the Texas Panhandle.

At High Plains Insurance Agency, we've seen the difference a good home inventory makes. Claims get paid faster. Coverage gaps get caught before disaster strikes. And the stress of recovering from a loss is dramatically reduced. Here's everything you need to know about creating one.

Why a Home Inventory Matters

It speeds up your claim. When you file an insurance claim after a hail storm, tornado, or fire, the insurance company needs to know what was lost and what it was worth. If you can hand them a detailed list with photos, receipts, and serial numbers, your claim moves through the system in days instead of weeks. If you're trying to remember everything from scratch, you'll inevitably forget items, and the back-and-forth with the adjuster drags on for months.

It ensures you're properly covered. Most homeowners significantly underestimate the value of their personal belongings. A typical Amarillo home in neighborhoods like Sleepy Hollow or The Colony might have $50,000 to $150,000 in personal property. When you actually inventory everything—furniture, electronics, clothing, kitchenware, tools, sports equipment, holiday decorations—the total is almost always higher than you think. If your Coverage C (personal property) limit is too low, you'll find out at the worst possible time.

It helps you prove ownership. After a total loss—a house fire, a tornado that levels your home—you may not have physical proof of what you owned. Photos, receipts, and serial numbers are your evidence. Without them, the adjuster has to take your word for it, and that rarely works in your favor.

It catches coverage gaps. As you inventory your belongings, you'll naturally notice items that may exceed your standard policy limits. That $8,000 engagement ring. That $5,000 custom saddle. That $4,000 camera kit. These items need to be scheduled on your policy (see our post on insuring valuables for more on that). A home inventory is the best way to identify them.

It reduces stress. This might be the most important reason. After a disaster, you're already dealing with the trauma of losing your home. Not having to reconstruct a mental list of everything you own—while sleeping in a hotel room and wearing borrowed clothes—is a gift you give your future self.

How to Create a Home Inventory: Room by Room

The best way to create a home inventory is to go room by room, systematically documenting everything. Here's how:

Living Room and Common Areas

  • Furniture (sofas, chairs, tables, entertainment centers, bookshelves)

  • Electronics (TV, sound system, gaming consoles, streaming devices)

  • Artwork, wall decor, and mirrors

  • Rugs and curtains

  • Lamps and lighting fixtures

  • Books, collectibles, and decorative items

  • Musical instruments

Kitchen

  • Major appliances (refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, microwave)

  • Small appliances (blender, coffee maker, air fryer, toaster)

  • Cookware (pots, pans, baking sheets)

  • Dinnerware, glassware, and flatware

  • Knives and kitchen tools

  • Pantry items (for total loss claims, even food is covered)

  • Barware and serving pieces

Bedrooms

  • Beds, mattresses, and bed frames

  • Dressers, nightstands, and wardrobes

  • Clothing (all seasons—you'd be surprised how fast this adds up)

  • Shoes, boots, and accessories

  • Jewelry and watches

  • Electronics (phones, tablets, laptops, alarm clocks)

  • Bedding, pillows, and linens

Bathrooms

  • Vanities, cabinets, and mirrors

  • Towels, washcloths, and bath mats

  • Hair dryers, curling irons, and grooming tools

  • Medicine cabinet contents (prescriptions, toiletries)

  • Scales, bathroom accessories

Home Office

  • Desk, chair, and office furniture

  • Computer, monitor, printer, and peripherals

  • Office supplies and equipment

  • Files, documents, and records

  • Books and reference materials

Garage and Workshop

  • Tools (power tools, hand tools, toolboxes)

  • Lawn and garden equipment (mower, trimmer, leaf blower)

  • Sports equipment (bikes, fishing gear, camping gear, hunting equipment)

  • Holiday decorations

  • Storage bins and their contents

  • Automotive supplies and equipment

Outdoor Areas

  • Patio furniture and cushions

  • Grills and outdoor cooking equipment

  • Playground equipment and trampolines

  • Shed contents

  • Fencing, gates, and landscaping features

What to Document for Each Item

For each item in your inventory, record as much of the following as possible:

  • Item description (brand, model, color, size)

  • Serial number (especially for electronics and appliances)

  • Purchase date (month and year)

  • Purchase price (from receipt or credit card statement)

  • Estimated current value (what it would cost to replace today)

  • Where you bought it (store name, online retailer)

  • Photo or video showing the item in its location

  • Receipt or proof of purchase (scan or photo)

Don't worry about being perfect. A 70% complete inventory is infinitely better than no inventory at all. Start with the most valuable items and work your way down.

Tools to Help You Create a Home Inventory

You don't need a spreadsheet or a notebook (though both work fine). There are excellent apps designed specifically for home inventories:

Sortly — A visual inventory app that lets you take photos, add details, and organize items by room. It's free for basic use and very user-friendly. You can export your inventory as a PDF or CSV file.

Encircle — Built for insurance professionals but works great for homeowners. It creates a photo-based inventory with voice notes and automatic timestamps. The free version is robust enough for most homes.

Google Sheets or Excel — Sometimes the simplest tool is the best. Create a spreadsheet with columns for room, item, brand, model, serial number, purchase date, purchase price, and estimated replacement cost. Add a column for photos (store them in a linked Google Drive folder).

Home Inventory by KnowYourStuff — A dedicated home inventory app with barcode scanning, receipt photo capture, and cloud backup. It's a few dollars but worth it.

Video walkthrough — If you don't have time for a detailed inventory, at minimum walk through your home with your phone's video camera, opening every closet and drawer, narrating what you see. It's not as good as a written inventory, but it's infinitely better than nothing.

Store Your Inventory Safely

A home inventory stored on your phone or laptop is useless if that phone or laptop is destroyed in the same fire or flood that damages your home. Store your inventory in multiple places:

  • Cloud backup: Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, or OneDrive

  • Email a copy to yourself (or to us at High Plains Insurance Agency)

  • Print a physical copy and keep it in a fireproof safe or at a family member's house

  • Store it off-site—at your office, a safety deposit box, or with a trusted relative

We recommend keeping your inventory in at least two separate locations, one of which is off-site. Cloud storage is the easiest option, but don't rely on it exclusively. A printed copy in a fireproof safe adds a layer of protection.

Update Your Inventory Annually

A home inventory is not a one-and-done project. Your belongings change over time. You buy new furniture. You upgrade electronics. You acquire new valuables. You declutter and donate old items.

Set a reminder to update your inventory once a year. Good times to do it:

  • Before storm season (March or April in the Panhandle)

  • After the holidays (when you've received new gifts)

  • On your birthday or anniversary (easy to remember)

  • When you make a major purchase (add it immediately)

An annual update takes 30 minutes to an hour. Compare that to the weeks or months of stress you'll save if you ever need to file a major claim.

How a Home Inventory Helps After Specific Disasters

After a hailstorm: Hail can damage personal property inside your home if it breaches the roof or breaks windows. A home inventory helps you document damaged electronics, furniture, and belongings quickly. You can submit your inventory to the adjuster alongside your structural damage claim.

After a tornado: A tornado can destroy everything in minutes. With a home inventory, you can file a complete claim immediately rather than spending weeks trying to remember what you owned. This is especially important for total loss claims, where every item matters.

After a fire: Fire damage is often accompanied by smoke and water damage from firefighting efforts. A home inventory helps you document everything that was in the affected areas, including items that may not have been directly burned but were damaged by smoke or water.

After a burglary: When filing a theft claim, you need to list every stolen item with as much detail as possible. A home inventory makes this straightforward. Without one, you'll likely forget items, and the insurance company will only pay for what you can prove you owned.

The Cost of Not Having a Home Inventory

Let's put some numbers on this. A typical Amarillo home in The Colony might have:

  • $15,000 in furniture

  • $8,000 in electronics

  • $12,000 in clothing and accessories

  • $5,000 in kitchenware and appliances

  • $4,000 in tools and equipment

  • $3,000 in sports and recreation gear

  • $2,000 in holiday decorations and storage

  • $1,000 in linens and household supplies

That's $50,000 in personal property. Without a home inventory, can you prove all of that to your insurance adjuster after a total loss? Even missing 20% means leaving $10,000 on the table.

And that's before we get to high-value items. That custom saddle from the Amarillo Livestock Auction. That vintage guitar collection. That engagement ring from your anniversary. If these items aren't documented and scheduled on your policy, you're not getting full value for them.

FAQ

How long does it take to create a home inventory?


For a typical 2,000-square-foot home, plan on 2 to 4 hours for a thorough inventory. You can break it into chunks—one room per evening. A video walkthrough takes 15 to 30 minutes.

Do I really need to document every single item?


No. Focus on items with significant value. A good rule of thumb: document anything that would cost more than $50 to replace. For inexpensive items like socks and dish soap, a general category estimate is fine.

What if I don't have receipts for everything?


That's okay. For older items, estimate the replacement cost based on current prices. Photos of the item in your home are strong evidence even without a receipt. Credit card statements can also serve as proof of purchase.

Should I include my vehicle in my home inventory?


No. Vehicles are covered under your auto insurance policy, not your homeowners policy. Keep a separate inventory for your vehicles with VINs, photos, and maintenance records.

Can High Plains Insurance Agency help me create a home inventory?


Absolutely. We can provide templates, recommend apps, and review your inventory to make sure it's thorough enough for claims purposes. Call us at 806-476-9700 and we'll walk you through it.

How do I know if my personal property coverage limit is adequate?


Once you complete your home inventory, total the replacement cost of everything. Compare that to your Coverage C (personal property) limit on your homeowners policy. If your inventory total is higher than your limit, you need to increase your coverage. We can help with that.

What about items stored in a self-storage unit?


Your homeowners policy typically covers personal property away from your home, but there are limits—often 10% of your Coverage C limit. If you have a storage unit on Coulter Drive or I-40, check your policy and consider adding coverage for stored items.

Start Your Home Inventory Today

Storm season in the Texas Panhandle runs from April through October. The peak is right around the corner. There's no better time to create a home inventory than right now.

At High Plains Insurance Agency, we're here to help. Call us at 806-476-9700 or stop by our office at 4174 Business Park Dr in Amarillo. We'll help you review your personal property coverage, identify gaps, and make sure you're protected before the next storm hits.

Your future self will thank you.