Frostbow Home Inventory 5 Lite

CNET Editors' review

by: CNET staff on August 20, 2009

Keeping an inventory of what's in your home is a good idea that many people don't think of until it's too late. Even those who do make an effort to inventory their possessions are often put off by the size of the task, the necessity of keeping up with it, and results that leave a lot to be desired. Frostbow Home Inventory 5 Lite makes it easy to record an ongoing inventory of your possessions, what shape they're in, what they cost, and what they're worth. Everything about Frostbow Home Inventory will help ease the process when property is lost, stolen, destroyed, damaged, sold, transferred, bequeathed, or inherited.

The clearly configured interface opens with a sample record that gives a quick feel for what's entered and how. Drop-down lists include many manufacturers' names, retail stores, and other frequently used items. You can record warranty information, serial numbers, and identifying marks, and even attach images of the item, or scanned receipts and other documents. You can head off future family squabbles by designating an heir for each item. It'll generate charts and reports, too. Since an inventory that's lost with your possessions won't do you much good, it's a simple matter to make backups and store them online or remotely.

Frostbow Home Inventory downloads, installs, and operates quickly, smoothly, and robustly, since it's more or less a database program optimized toward a particular use. Like any decent house guest, it asks before it does things you might not like, such as installing icons. And it's free, so there's no excuse not to use it to protect your home and possessions.