Furniture Checklist

I've been trolling the internet and Pinterest looking for a comprehensive furniture checklist.  There are lists for baby rooms and first apartments. There are checklists for newlyweds to register for gifts. Isn't there some OCD interior designer who has made an easy to use tool for grown ups?

Then, I stumbled onto inventory software for insurance purposes. You catalog all the things you own in case you have to make an insurance claim.Wouldn't you know it, there is an ap for that. There are mobile versions where you take pictures with your cell phone. There are some free versions (that limit # of photos) and PC packages between $19 -$39. Since we live in Hurricaneville, I will be using one of these pretty soon. But, I needed something more streamlined.

Now, I've run across a printable, sharable, tool that is really thorough.  It is a government brochure made by the Texas Department of Insurance. http://www.tdi.texas.gov/pubs/consumer/cb086.pdf Finally our tax dollars at work on something I like. It is my new favorite toy.  We are filling it in with Adobe and emailing it. I've already printed it on 3 colors and gone highlighter crazy on another.

at the beach in SC with his oldest of 2 children

My (best buddy from middle school) client, Kennedy is moving into a new house with his beautiful family. He is a firefighter and has worked hard to save up to build the new house and budget for new furniture.  I want to help him get the best bang for his buck and in his words "avoid making expensive mistakes."

Problem is, they are in SC and I am in Florida, so I needed a way for he and his Mrs. to inventory what they already have.  They can fill in the fields under "purchase date" with measurements of pieces they have. They can note any pieces that need to be repainted, reupholstered or re-purposed.  I always try to get homeowners to look at what they have with new eyes.

Now we can evaluate and prioritize the pieces they will need to buy. Budgets can look like a big pile of money till you take a good look at all the pieces you really need to buy.  I love this checklist because it includes rugs, lighting and window treatments for each room.  It is easy to overspend on a sofa or huge TV if you forget all the little things that make a room feel finished.

In the price column we are starting with a budget for the new items that need to be added. Then with a little slash, we record what we actually spent.  When we get a great deal on a Craig's list find coffee table, the extra $ can move to the sofa or huge TV.  When I make them custom Roman blinds from Target mini blinds, that savings can go to living room lamps.

We also numbered the whole list. They have photographed the items they have and numbered those photos according to the list when they send them to me. It also keeps it clear when we start to pin pieces in Pinterest. The board allows us both to pin images -- we started with all her old pre-house pins. Ideas for living room chairs will all be #3's. Fabrics for family room curtains will all be tagged with #25.

OK. This is starting to look like inside baseball.  You don't have a client, in another state, trying to furnish a new house.  But I promise, you want to get one of these lists for yourself.

• for insurance: yes, its actual purpose. Fill it in and email it to yourself, so you can access it from any computer. Use the number system to match up pictures and receipts for all the items in your home.  Store a copy away from your home (in a safety deposit box, at work, with a relative who lives elsewhere).  
• for planning your own new purchases 
• for tracking the budget for your project 
• for recording the measurements of pieces you already own.  Next time you are looking at a big salvaged sign, you'll know the size of your buffet -- it will fit perfectly above it!
• for staging: mark off items you can remove from a room or re-purpose around your home.
• for moving: plan which items are going first, which ones are going to storage, which ones can go to yardsale or ebay.
• if you do have clients, run off one of these sheets (on different color paper) for each one. When you are out shopping it gives you a quick reference on measurements, budgets and overview without lugging around a huge binder.  

Maybe one rainy day I will sit down and make this a pretty printable. In the mean time, this little taxpayer subsidized gem is working just fine.  Hope it helps you get ready for a new project, a bad storm or just get a little more visit ready.

just bec


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