If that were to happen, how many people could accurately describe every possession in their home that was destroyed or taken? If residents take the time to prepare a home inventory, replacing those items won’t be so tedious.

“Disaster can strike at anytime,” said Tracy Rutledge, Allstate exclusive insurance agent. “Tornadoes, hail, fire and theft can impact area homeowners without any notice and with devastating consequences. An accurate and up-to-date home inventory can help make the recovery process easier.”

When taking inventory, people tend to remember the big items like furniture and computers. However, they overlook the small more everyday items like hairspray, toothbrushes, mops and even food, said Sarah Montano, insurance agent with Brooke Insurance of Newton.

Replacing those items can be a tedious process, but having insurance that covers movable personal property can help. However, having an inventory with the visual element of pictures or video of those items can help make the recovery process easier.

Home owners insurance and renters insurance covers personal belongings, so it doesn’t matter if a person owns their own home or are renting, having a detailed home inventory is important, Montano said.

The pictures or video can serve as a memory trigger for what property was there, which can help a lot.

People use those places to hide things, taking pictures doesn’t seem like a good idea, but in preparing for a tornado, fire or disaster, knowing exactly what was in those draws and can help with the recovery process.

When a disaster hits and a home and all possession are lost, it is the small things that add up quickly.

Imagine having to replace all the pencils, notepads, scissors, bed linens, cups, plates and even holiday decorations. It all adds up.

Taking pictures from opposite sides of the room to document the larger items is a good idea, as well. But residents shouldn’t forget about opening the drawers and cupboards around their home to document every item they possess to have an accurate inventory of their personal property.

When possible, being able to include purchase dates and serial numbers can help during the replacement process as well, especially for items, such as collectibles, antiques, art objects, figurines, guns, clocks, silver, jewelry, furs, electrical appliances and devices, lawn mowers, power tools, sewing machines and vacuum cleaners.

When performing the inventory, don’t forget the garage if there is one. Tools boxes and contents, power tools and anything else stored in the garage should be documented as well.

The State Farm Insurance Web site suggested revising the inventory of personal property every year, while Montano said every 5 to 10 years, but it all depends on how quickly items are accumulated.