Right after a disaster is NOT the time to realize you need to have a home inventory.  Creating a Home Inventory is not only important for insurance purposes, it will also give you an idea where everything is and its value.  We had friends who lost their home to fire, their meticulous records showing exactly what they had and the cost helped them win their fight with their insurance.  Don't feel you need to do it all at once, maybe pick a room a week.  Financial programs like Quicken have areas where you can easily record these belongings and even scan in photos or receipts for easy backup.  Read more in this article