Free Moving Inventory Template (Printable PDF + CSV)

A moving inventory is a box-by-box list of what you packed, what shape it was in, and roughly what it is worth. You use it three times: to pack, to check the delivery as it comes off the truck, and to file a claim if something arrives broken or doesn't arrive at all. The template below covers all three. It's free and there's no sign-up.

• Download the printable PDF: a how-to page, an inventory sheet, and a page of box labels. Print as many sheets as you need.
• Download the CSV: a spreadsheet version set up for importing into an inventory app (Item, Quantity, Box, Condition, Price Paid, Serial Number, Notes). It opens in Excel, Numbers, or Google Sheets too.

One disclosure: I build Manifest, a home inventory app, and the CSV is set up so it imports into Manifest cleanly. You don't need Manifest to use either file.

What's in the template?

The inventory sheet has nine columns:

The label page gives you four labels per sheet with space for a box number, the room it came from, the room it goes to, a short contents list, and Fragile / This side up / Open first boxes.

How do you make a moving inventory?

1. Number every box. Write the number and the room on at least two sides, so it's readable when the boxes are stacked.
2. List contents as you pack. Fill in the sheet box by box while the box is still open. Doing it afterward from memory is where lists go wrong.
3. Photograph valuables before they go in. Take the item, any existing damage, and the serial number plate. Dated photos are the most useful evidence you'll have if something breaks.
4. Keep everyday things short. "Box 12, Kitchen: pots, pans, colander" is enough. Itemize the things you'd actually claim for: electronics, furniture, art, anything over a couple of hundred dollars.
5. Set aside what you'll carry. Documents, jewelry, laptops, medication, and anything irreplaceable ride with you, not in the truck.
6. Tick boxes off at delivery. Check each number as it comes in, and write down anything missing or damaged before you sign the mover's paperwork.

How should you number moving boxes?

Use one running sequence for the whole house (1, 2, 3...) rather than restarting per room. The room goes on the label, not in the number. A single sequence makes a gap obvious: if you have boxes 1 through 64 and box 37 is missing, you'll notice at delivery, not three weeks later.

Some people color-code by room with tape. That helps the movers put boxes in the right place, but it doesn't replace numbers. A green box tells you it's for the kitchen, not which kitchen box has the coffee maker.

What does the mover's inventory have to do with yours?

For interstate moves in the US, federal rules require the mover to make its own written inventory that identifies every carton and every uncartoned item, put a matching number on each one, and give you a copy signed by both of you before or at loading (49 CFR 375.503). At delivery, the mover has to let you check the items and note anything missing or damaged in writing.

The mover's inventory records condition from the mover's point of view. Crews often mark furniture with codes for scratches or dents at pickup. Read those notes before you sign. If you disagree, write that on the form. Your own list with photos is what backs you up.

If something does break, what your mover owes you depends on the coverage you picked. The default is very different from the free option.

How do you use the CSV in Manifest?

1. Fill in the CSV, or start from the example rows and replace them. Put the room in the Box value ("Box 07 - Kitchen") rather than a separate column. Condition takes one word: excellent, good, fair, or poor. Damage notes like "scratch on left side" go in Notes, or the importer drops them.
2. In Manifest, open CSV import and upload the file. The columns map automatically: Item becomes the name, Box becomes the item's location, and Condition, Price Paid, Serial Number, and Notes carry over. Price Paid is what you paid, which isn't always what it would cost to replace.
3. Check the preview and import. Each box becomes a location, so you can open "Box 07 - Kitchen" and see everything in it. Once you've unpacked, filter your item list to a box, select all, and tap Assign room to move everything in it to its new room at once.

Manifest's QR labels are the other way to do this: instead of importing a list, you stick a printed label on a box, scan it, and add what goes inside from your phone. A scanned label creates its own new box, so use either the CSV or the labels for a given box, not both. In the iPhone app, scan labels with the Scan button in the search bar. The phone's built-in camera opens the web version in Safari instead, where you'll need to sign in.

FAQ

What should a moving inventory include? Box number, the room each box came from, what's inside, the condition of anything valuable, a rough replacement value, and serial numbers for electronics and appliances. Photos of valuables taken before packing make the list much more useful if you need to file a claim.

Do I need a moving inventory if the movers make one? Yes. The mover's inventory is their record of what they picked up and what condition they say it was in. Yours is your record. If the two disagree about a scratch or a missing box, your list and dated photos are your evidence.

How detailed should a moving inventory be? Itemize anything you'd want to be paid for if it broke or went missing: electronics, furniture, art, appliances, and anything expensive. For boxes of everyday things like linens or kitchen utensils, a one-line summary per box is enough.

Is this moving inventory template free? Yes. The PDF and CSV are free to download and use, with no sign-up. The CSV imports into Manifest, but it opens in any spreadsheet app too.