Commandment Number 5: Thou Shalt Be Organized and Methodical
One of the most overwhelming parts of making a list of your contents is trying to keep track of everything.
There is SO MUCH chaos in your life after a loss (fire, storm, etc.) that the task of trying to list everything you own seems monumental. Many people try to start a list, and quickly it gets out of hand.
This usually happens because of a lack of organization. People start writing things down on random pieces of paper that get lost. Or they have notebooks but start jumbling the rooms around. Or they try to gather receipts and everything gets scattered all over the place.
Calm down!!! It is a monumental task. But it can be done. It has been done by MANY hundreds of people in the last few months.
One of the secrets to being able to do this is by being ORGANIZED.
Have one place for all your lists, notebooks, receipts, etc.
Ideally, you would have a folder for your receipts. Then you would have a notebook or binder for your lists, with rooms separated and easy to access. If you are dealing with a list or pictures from a restoration company, those would also be separated into rooms.
The act of separating into ROOMS makes the task much easier because now you are not dealing with everything in your whole house—you are dealing with one room only. And when you start to list a room, start on one side and move methodically through the room (maybe left to right). Don't forget things on the wall, window coverings, and rugs. Also don't forget items INSIDE furniture and closets.
By breaking down the whole into smaller parts, the process is less intimidating and easier to handle. By being organized and methodical, the list will be made and your payout will be just around the corner.
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