Last Updated on 3 months by David Bergmann
An inventory list – who needs that? Wrong thinking. An inventory or removal goods list has numerous advantages and makes your life and your move easier in many ways! The time it takes to create such a list is well invested. Because without systematically recording your household contents, you may not even notice, that something is missing at the end of the move amidst the chaos. In the following article, you will not only find the reasons why you should keep an inventory list, but also lots of practical tips and tricks!
- Why you need an inventory list
- How to document your household contents
- Save time & money by clearing out
- Creation of the inventory list
- Packing & labeling the moving boxes
- Unpacking & checking after the move
1. Why you need an inventory list
Moving is stressful enough, but if not all your possessions arrive at your new home, it means additional stress and hassle.
A moving goods list can help you to avoid exactly that and has a few other advantages:
Overview & control
Many people underestimate how many things they have accumulated in the course of their lives. By accurately recording the goods to be moved, you get a much clearer idea of how much you actually need to pack and move.
If you go about it the right way and systematically record all household items, it will also be much easier for you to check your household contents at the end of the move. Missing inventory can be searched for immediately in your old apartment or by walking the transport routes (elevator, streets, sidewalks and stairwells) and, with a little luck, found again.
Realistic cost estimate
Many removal companies require at least an approximate indication of the quantity of goods to be moved in order to provide you with a cost estimate. The more precise your details are, the more accurate the calculation and the less you have to worry about hidden costs.
Enforcement of claims for damages
If something is missing or damaged, it is much easier to claim compensation from your removal or household contents insurance.
No chaos when unpacking
Thanks to a moving list, you know exactly which items are in which box. This makes unpacking much easier.
Booking the right van
If you are carrying out your move yourself, you are responsible for booking the removal van yourself. To avoid unnecessary extra trips, you should make sure you reserve a sufficiently large van. Especially when moving to another city or canton, a moving van that is too small can cost a lot of time and gas.
Customs – Declaration: When moving abroad
If you are moving to or from another EU country (e.g. Germany or Austria), the relocation list is particularly important. This is because customs clearance at the border usually requires you to declare your removal goods , even if there are no fees for this.
If your new home is outside Switzerland, you should definitely include the “inventory list” in your relocation planning. You can find more information on European customs law here .
Especially if you are moving to Switzerland from a third country outside the EU, you should have a moving goods list in your luggage. You can find the customs form for the Swiss customs office of entry here .
Tip: Find out in advance whether you have to pay customs duty on your removal goods when entering Switzerland or a third country and factor any fees into the removal costs.
2. How to document your household contents
Before you start packing, you should definitely take stock: What do you own, what do you want to get rid of before the move and which possessions are particularly valuable and should be transported with care?
The best thing to do is to go through the rooms room by room and take photos of all the things, especially valuables, that you want to move. Of course, you don’t have to photograph every single book. But you should at least record furniture, electronic devices and valuables as accurately as possible. This is particularly important when asserting claims for damages against your insurance company or the removal company.
In the case of electrical appliances (e.g. laptops), it is also a good idea to take a photo of the serial number, which can be helpful in the event of an insurance claim. Alternatively, you can also make a video of the apartment tour, this way you can capture more in the same amount of time.
3. Save time and money by clearing out
The less you own, the less you have to move and the less time and money you spend.
It therefore makes perfect sense to go through your belongings again at your leisure and sort out all the things you no longer need before you move. Before you dispose of them, however, you should definitely ask your family and friends if anyone is interested.
You can also sell well-preserved furniture, furnishings or clothes at (online) flea markets to supplement your moving budget.
4. Preparation of the inventory list
First of all, you should think about the best way to structure your moving list. You can list your inventory per room, for example, or by type of item (e.g. crockery, toys, lamps, clothes, etc.).
A combination of both is also possible – e.g. list all furniture and furnishings (e.g. lamp) per room and divide all other household items (clothes, dishes, etc.) into categories. There are no limits to your imagination, but you should find the most practical solution for you.
Categories – Household goods
Here are a few examples of categories into which you can divide your possessions:
- Furniture
- Furnishings & decoration
- Clothing & Shoes
- Cleaning agent
- Tool
- Tableware
- Toys
- Electrical appliances
- Books, CD’s, DVD’s & Records
- Office supplies & documents
- Textiles (bed linen, towels etc.)
- Plants
- Bags & cases
Tip: You can either use a template from the Internet for your inventory list and print it out or enter your removal goods directly in an Excel inventory list . If you enter “inventory list” or “moving goods list” in the Google search, you will find many different examples for the design and also samples to print out.
Once you have decided on a system, you should stick to it and go through it room by room. In doing so, you carry the respective items incl. Enter the number of items in your inventory list.
Important: Don’t forget the cellar (or cellar compartment), storage room, attic and garage!
5. Packing & labeling the moving boxes
As soon as you have an overview of your removal goods and have decided on the type of categorization, you can start packing. packing start packing.
Depending on the situation, you can either go room by room or collect all the items in a certain category (e.g. books) in one or more boxes.
Whichever system you choose, it is essential to label the moving boxes and make a note in your moving list of what is in each box.
The following information should be noted on the removal box:
- Number (for comparison with inventory list)
- Contents (books, crockery, bed linen… etc)
- Room (where should the box be placed in the new apartment)
- Any hazard warning (e.g. “Caution – fragile objects”)
6. Unpacking & checking after the move
With the help of the inventory list, you have recorded all moving boxes and your removal company or removal helpers know exactly where to unload the box thanks to the labeling.
It will then be much easier for you to check that all the boxes have arrived at your new home undamaged.
Again, it’s best to go room by room and check off all the transport boxes one by one in your moving list. If you discover that one or more boxes are missing, you should contact your removal company immediately.
When unpacking the boxes, it is best to proceed systematically and unpack the boxes with the contents that you need immediately first. Examples of this are: Medication, bed linen, towels, toiletries, tools and crockery. Moving boxes that house photo albums, various dust collectors from long past trips or your DVD collection, on the other hand, can wait.
When placing the furniture, it is advisable to place the larger pieces of furniture in the new apartment first. Firstly, to ideally only have to carry the heavy furniture once and secondly, to ensure that the bulkiest items can all be accommodated.
Tip: Do you want to be as well prepared as possible for your moving day? Then download here our ultimate moving checklist download!
Image by Drazen Zigic on Freepik