How to document valuables with photos for disaster preparedness planners in 2026

A step by step way to record your valuables with photos before a disaster, what to gather first, and tools that can help.

By CleverDings · 2026-10-30

CleverDings is published by the makers of Benefit Buddy, Postal Buddy and Packing Buddy, which are compared here alongside other apps.

Walk each room with a camera, photograph every valuable twice, once whole and once close up, add a short note, store a copy away from the home, and recheck the record when items change. A tool such as Packing Buddy can list the items a photo of a box shows, but the paper receipts and appraisals still matter for a claim. ^[1]

Option	What it does	Cost
Packing Buddy	Lists each box's items from photos, picks a room, gives each box a code like K-03, and prints QR labels that open the box when scanned. ^[1] ^[1] ^[1]	Free: 3 test boxes per device without an account; with a free account, 10 boxes, 25 AI reads and up to 4 photos a box. ^[1] Plus costs $12.99 a month or $59 a year for 100 boxes. ^[1] Pro costs $19.99 a month or $99 a year, with unlimited boxes and Bluetooth label printers. ^[1]
Home inventory spreadsheet	Not published here; check whether it keeps a photo and a note per item and can be saved off your own computer.	Not published
Cloud photo backup	Not published here; check whether photos keep original quality and can be reached when other devices are lost.	Not published
Insurance app	Not published here; check what the app asks for and whether it accepts photos before an incident.	Not published

What you need before you start

Most of the work happens before a storm is on the way. Having a few things ready makes the photos useful when a claim has to be filed later.

Rooms and storage. Walk each room and note every place things are kept: drawers, cupboards, closets, the attic, basement, garage, and any safe or outbuilding.
What counts. Decide what is worth recording: items hard to replace, costly to repair, or tied to ownership papers. Jewellery, tools, electronics, furniture, books, keepsakes and documents all qualify.
A camera. A smartphone camera is enough. Check that a photo of a label or serial number stays sharp and readable.
A second copy. Keep photos and notes somewhere that survives a disaster in the home, such as a cloud account or a bank safe deposit box.
Paper that backs a photo. Receipts, appraisals and model or serial numbers give a photo more weight when you make a claim.

Step by step

Write a short inventory plan. A few lines: which rooms, what you will count as a valuable, and where the copies will be stored. You will reuse it for every room.
Group items before photographing. Sort each room's valuables by shelf, drawer or storage bin so the record matches how the items actually sit.
Photograph each item twice. Take one shot of the whole item, then a close up of the maker's mark, serial number or label. Keep the photo flat and well lit so the text can be read later.
Use a name scheme. Name each photo with the room and the item, such as kitchen-vase-01. A consistent name makes the records easy to match.
Write a short note for each item. When it was bought, what it cost, and where the receipt or appraisal is kept. Put the note next to the photo.
Back up the set away from home. Upload photos and notes to a second place that survives a disaster in the house, such as a cloud account.
Label the physical item. A tag or written label on the item ties it to the photo record if it is moved or packed.
Recheck after every change. Retake photos when you buy, sell or move items, or when a new arrival joins the household.
Store the record safely. Keep one copy in the home and one elsewhere, and note the date of the last check.

Tools that can do it

Several kinds of tools fit this job. Pick based on how much typing you want to do and where your photos already live.

A home inventory spreadsheet. Many people keep the list on their own computer. Check whether it keeps a photo and a note per item and whether a copy can be saved off the machine.

Cloud photo backup. A photo backup service stores the pictures away from the home automatically. Check whether it keeps the original quality and whether the record can be reached if other devices are lost.

Your insurance app. Many insurers take photos and notes for a claim. Check what the app asks for and whether it accepts the photos before an incident.

Packing Buddy. Packing Buddy is made by the team that publishes this site. You take photos of what goes into a moving box, and AI lists the items and picks the room. ^[1] Each box gets a code like K-03, printed on its label. ^[1] Labels print from a home printer on store-bought Avery 5163 or compatible sheets, or on plain paper you cut out and tape on. ^[1] Scanning a box's QR code with any phone camera opens that box in the browser, no app needed. ^[1] You can search your boxes to find which box an item is in. ^[1] The web app is live, and on a computer you can choose photos you already took with nothing to install. ^[1] It runs on phones and in a web browser. ^[1] If you cancel, you keep your boxes and can still open, edit, reprint and search them, but you cannot add new ones. ^[1]

Common mistakes to avoid

Recording only after a warning. Photos are quickest when nothing is urgent. Waiting until a storm is forecast leaves no time for close ups.
One photo per item. A single wide shot may not show a serial number or a maker's mark. Take a second, closer shot.
Keeping the only copy in the home. A fire, flood or storm that takes the valuables can take the record with it. Store a copy away.
Skipping the written note. A photo alone does not say when the item was bought or what it cost. Add those details.
No name scheme. Unnamed photos are hard to match to the item they show. Name each one the same way.
Forgetting new purchases. Add them when they arrive, not at the next annual check.
Never rechecking. Items leave and arrive, so a stale record misleads a claim. Update the date of the last check.

Frequently asked questions

How can valuables be documented with photos?

Walk each room with a camera and photograph every valuable twice, once whole and once close up so the maker's mark or serial number can be read. Name each photo with the room and the item, and write a short note with when it was bought and what it cost. Keep a copy away from the home, and recheck the record when items change.

Does Packing Buddy keep a list of what is in each box?

Yes. You take photos of what goes into a moving box, and AI lists the items and picks the room. ^[1] Each box gets a code like K-03. ^[1] You can search your boxes to find which box an item is in, and scanning a box's QR code with a phone camera opens that box in the browser. ^[1] ^[1]

How much does Packing Buddy cost?

Packing Buddy is free for 3 test boxes per device without an account, or with a free account for 10 boxes, 25 AI reads and up to 4 photos a box. ^[1] Plus costs $12.99 a month or $59 a year for 100 boxes. ^[1] If cancelled, the boxes stay open, editable, reprintable and searchable, but no new boxes can be added. ^[1]

Can Packing Buddy print labels for the boxes?

Yes. Labels print from a home printer on store-bought Avery 5163 or compatible sheets, or on plain paper you cut out and tape on. ^[1] You can also print blank QR labels in advance and start a box later by scanning one. ^[1] Scanning a box's QR code with any phone camera opens that box in the browser, with no app needed. ^[1]

Can someone else help record items in Packing Buddy?

Yes. Share links let a partner, friends or movers join by typing their name, with no account needed. ^[1] The mover link comes with the plan. A partner can walk a room while the photos and the room list stay in one place. After signing in, AI assistants like ChatGPT or Claude can search and read the backed-up boxes, but they cannot change them. ^[1]

Free: 3 test boxes per device without an account; with a free account, 10 boxes, 25 AI reads and up to 4 photos a box. ^[1]

Try Packing Buddy

Sources

Packing Buddy's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)