How to inventory household items for probate?

A defensible household inventory groups ordinary items by category with an estimated total value, while itemizing anything of significant value on its own line, all valued at fair market value as of the date of death.

Most probate courts don't expect you to list every towel and coffee mug separately. Instead, work room by room or category by category (living room furniture, kitchen items, tools, clothing) and assign each category a reasonable total. Items that carry real value, such as jewelry, art, antiques, collectibles, firearms, and designer goods, should be listed individually with enough detail to identify them (description, maker or brand, condition, and estimated value). This approach satisfies the requirement to establish fair market value for the estate without turning the inventory into an unworkable line-by-line list of every household object.

Before you start assigning values, document what's actually there:

• Walk through each room and photograph or video its contents before anything is moved, sold, or distributed.
• Separate items that belong solely to a surviving spouse or another co-owner; those generally don't belong in the estate inventory.
• Set aside anything that looks unusual, old, or potentially valuable for individual appraisal rather than grouping it in with ordinary contents.
• Keep receipts, prior appraisals, insurance schedules, and photos that support the values you list.

Once the inventory is organized, the categories and higher-value items need actual fair market value figures, not replacement cost or sentimental value. This is where a probate appraisal becomes useful for the estate, especially when an executor needs numbers that will hold up with the court, co-heirs, or the IRS. Because exact inventory requirements (what must be itemized versus grouped, and what form to file) vary by state and court, it's worth checking your local probate rules or the specific form required, such as an Inventory, Appraisement, and List of Claims in Texas or a similar inventory form elsewhere. For more on what belongs in this inventory, see what is included in probate inventory.