Are you moving on short notice and want to insure your belongings, or you need to determine your tax deductions? Perhaps you want to know the worth of your furniture and other possessions before you send them off with the movers. If that is the case, you may be wondering how to estimate the value of household goods. We offer some handy tips on how to establish the worth of your belongings, from making an item inventory list to using internet calculators and appraisal experts.
Calculating the value of your goods is never an easy task.
How to Estimate the Value of Household Goods – Make an Inventory List of Items
Have you figured out where you should move and are your reasons to move firm enough? If they are, it is time to start the organization process by picking the best time of the year to move and making further plans. Whether it’s a household inventory list for moving or a photo inventory for insurance, having a shortlist of all the belongings you want to evaluate can be very useful for a number of reasons. So put together a list of your belongings and include any important information in separate columns, be it the item’s condition, make or serial number, hallmark or signature. Write these down as it will help you in getting them evaluated and appraised. Also, make a separate list of things you no longer use and donate those unwanted items, especially if you’re downsizing and moving into a smaller home or moving alone to another state.
Adjust the List of Your Stuff as You Go
As you’re going through your possessions over and over and evaluating them, you’ll be adjusting your inventory list. So remember to leave space in the price columns, as well as the condition one if you have stuff you want to get appraised by professionals.
Start by creating an inventory list so you can track all the data.
Use Internet Calculators, Websites, And Local Stores to Evaluate Your Products
One of the best moving tips is to turn to modern technology. You can find your items on various websites, such as Craigslist and eBay, and find the prices they’re currently going for. Here you can see the average costs that people online are willing to pay for them. If you can’t find your specific belongings, you can search for similar ones. This is essential when planning your moving budget.
There are also different home content calculators that you can use when evaluating your belongings to reduce the costs of moving. You can look up your possessions, or similar ones, and use the calculators to compare prices. Keep in mind that using online calculators, however, could raise some privacy concerns.
If you have the time to do it, which may be a problem if you have to organize a last-minute move, you can check local stores for prices. Browse around the stores in your area, look for items similar to yours and write down the prices. Whether we’re talking about kitchen appliances, electronics, outdoor equipment, or clothes, this will be useful when trying to determine the value of your things.
Turn to the Appraisal Business If You Need Further Help
If you still need some help, you can count on professional appraisers. There are national organizations that can help you out, or you can turn to private ones. They will have all the knowledge and experience which you may lack and will know how to help, and you won’t have to worry about the privacy of your information. Counting on professionals is always advisable, especially if you’re moving home for the first time and considering whether or not to hire expert movers for the job. They could help you avoid some common moving mistakes you weren’t even aware of.
Get a Fair Estimate by Comparing Prices
Once you have gone through all the prices, both online and in your local stores, you’ll want to write them down in your inventory list. Hopefully, you have gathered enough information and will have enough different numbers to roughly determine the value of your stuff. Add up the prices, divide by the number of entries, and you’ll have yourself an estimate of the average worth of your belongings. Write these down again in your shortlist next to the items themselves.
Estimating the value of your shipment is crucial
Getting Insurance for a Variety of Reasons, Like Severe Weather
Once you have determined the price of your personal belongings, you will know what kind of insurance you need. And it is highly advisable to insure all of your belongings, especially for a long-distance move or an international relocation. Maybe you will be moving in bad weather, which is a frequent occurrence during winter months. Even if you didn’t opt for free boxes and other packing materials for moving or for the cheapest way to move out of state and you’ve paid for reliable long-distance moving services, as well as packing services, you can never be too sure when it comes to the safety of your stuff. The same goes if you booked auto shipping in order to transport your car across the country. Though you’ll feel much better knowing that everything is in the hands of professional movers who know all tips and tricks for packing, accidents do happen and, if they do, you’ll want to have insurance for your belongings.
You should not neglect the benefits of having insurance.
Personal Property Insurance
Maybe you have heard about people asking for a replacement cost estimator and wondering what it’s used for. Most, if not all, personal property insurance is based on the purchase price of the items, and when that’s not possible, the determined replacement value is used. If you have any safety concerns or signs of moving stress, relocation depression, while packing clothes, boxing up valuable furniture, packing kitchen items, computers, or packing silverware when moving, the best way to cope with it would be to get it all insured.
