Documenting Belongings
A list of item names is a start. Documentation — the photographs, receipts and identifying details behind each entry — is what makes a record useful when you have to describe something you no longer have in front of you.
Photographs that actually help
Two kinds of photograph carry most of the value. A wide shot of a whole room records context and the general condition of everything in it. A close shot of a single item records detail: the model badge, the screen, the wear on a corner. For valuable items, take both.
Keep the date intact. Most phones store the capture date in the file's metadata; if you crop or edit an image, save a copy rather than overwriting the original so the timestamp survives.
Receipts and proof of purchase
Thermal-paper receipts — common in German shops — fade within a year or two. Photograph or scan them soon after purchase, while the print is still legible. For larger purchases, the order confirmation or invoice email is often a more durable record than the till receipt.
- Scan or photograph paper receipts the week you get them.
- Save digital invoices as PDF in the same place as the photos.
- For warranties, keep the receipt with the product manual rather than separately.
Why it matters
When describing a loss to an insurer, the question is usually "what was it and what did it cost". A faded receipt answers neither. A clear scan made at purchase time answers both without relying on memory.
Serial numbers and identifiers
Electronics, bicycles and appliances carry serial numbers that distinguish your specific item from an identical one. Record them in the notes field of your inventory. For bicycles in particular, the frame number is the single most useful identifier, and some German police forces run public bicycle-coding events where the number is registered against the owner.
Entry: Laptop
Make/model : 14-inch notebook
Serial : recorded in inventory notes
Photo : front + model label
Receipt : PDF invoice, 2025
Location : home office
Naming files so you can find them
A folder of photos called IMG_4471.jpg is no better than no folder at all. A short, consistent naming pattern lets you locate a file in seconds and keeps the collection sorted sensibly:
room_item_year.jpg
kitchen_coffee-machine_2024.jpg
office_laptop_2025.jpg
livingroom_tv_2023.jpg
cellar_bicycle_2022.jpg
Once items are documented this way, the next step is to bring them together into a single record and store it safely, which is covered in organising records. If you have not yet built the underlying list, start with the room-by-room method.
Public references
For consumer guidance on documentation and claims in Germany, see the consumer advice centres at verbraucherzentrale.de. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.