Home Inventory Checklist: Room by Room

The fastest way to undercount your belongings is to inventory only the rooms you spend time in. The garage, the shed, the linen cupboard, and the back of the wardrobe hold a surprising amount of value, and they are exactly the spaces people skip. This checklist walks through every room so nothing is missed.

Use it alongside our complete guide to creating a home inventory.

Go room by room

Key takeaways

• Go room by room in a logical order so no space is missed.
• The highest-value omissions are usually the garage, tools, wardrobes, and storage areas.
• For each item, note what it is, roughly what it would cost to replace, and capture a photo or video.

Living room and lounge

• Television and sound equipment
• Media console, gaming consoles, streaming devices
• Sofas, armchairs, coffee and side tables
• Rugs, curtains, and blinds
• Lamps and light fittings you own
• Bookshelves, books, ornaments, and artwork
• Heaters, fans, and air purifiers

Kitchen

• Refrigerator, freezer, oven, cooktop, dishwasher
• Microwave, kettle, toaster, coffee machine
• Stand mixers, blenders, food processors, air fryers
• Pots, pans, bakeware, and knives
• Crockery, cutlery, glassware, and serving ware
• Small electricals and gadgets
• Pantry contents (often overlooked, and they add up)

Bedrooms

• Beds, mattresses, and bed frames
• Wardrobes, drawers, and bedside tables
• Clothing, shoes, and accessories (count the full wardrobe, not a sample)
• Jewellery and watches (note these for separate cover)
• Mirrors, lamps, and decor
• Children's furniture and toys

Bathrooms and laundry

• Washing machine and dryer
• Hair dryers, straighteners, and grooming devices
• Towels, linen, and storage units
• Scales, heaters, and cabinets

Home office and study

• Computers, laptops, tablets, and monitors
• Printers, scanners, and networking equipment
• Desk, chair, and storage furniture
• Cameras, drones, and accessories
• Important documents and their storage

Hallways, dining, and other rooms

• Dining table and chairs
• Cabinets, sideboards, and display units
• Artwork, antiques, and collectibles (flag these for valuation)
• Musical instruments
• Hallway storage and console tables

Garage, shed, and outdoor

This is where value hides, and where underinsurance is worst.

• Power tools, hand tools, and toolboxes
• Lawn mower, whipper snipper, and garden equipment
• Bicycles, e-bikes, and scooters
• Sporting and camping gear
• Outdoor furniture and barbecues
• Ladders, workbenches, and trade equipment

If you work in a trade, your garage may be your single most valuable space. See documenting tools for tradies.

Storage areas

• Attic, basement, and under-stair storage
• Linen cupboard and seasonal items
• Suitcases, holiday decorations, and boxed belongings
• External or off-site storage units

After the checklist

Once you have walked every room, total the estimated replacement costs and compare the figure with your current sum insured. If the total is higher, you may be underinsured. These are estimates, not professional valuations, so confirm your cover with your insurer.

Working through a written checklist by hand is thorough but slow, which is why so many people stop halfway. WHIG does the same room-by-room pass automatically: you record a video walkthrough, announcing each room as you go, and it builds the categorised, valued list for you, including the easily forgotten spaces. See how WHIG works.