How to make a garage and tool inventory
Tools build up slowly: a drill here, a second set of batteries there, a mower, two bikes and a shelf of things borrowed and never returned. A garage and tool inventory tells you what you own, where it lives and who has it. It also gives you the serial numbers and photos you need if something goes missing. Here is how to set one up.
Published
Why tools deserve their own inventory
Tools are valuable, portable and easy to resell, and they are often kept in buildings with weaker locks than the house. Research by Comparethemarket in the UK found that tools and work materials were the most commonly stolen items in shed and garage burglaries, taken in 39% of them, with bicycles and bike parts in 12%.
Theft is only one reason. An inventory stops you buying a third tape measure, shows which batteries fit which tools, tracks warranties on expensive kit, and records what you lent to whom. It is also the list you hand your insurer if you ever need to claim.
What to record for each tool
Small hand tools can be grouped: “Socket set, metric” or “Screwdrivers, 12” is enough. Give anything powered, expensive or distinctive its own entry.
- Brand, model and serial number
- A photo of the tool and a close-up of the rating label
- Purchase date, price and where you bought it
- Receipt and warranty end date, especially for registered tools with longer coverage
- Battery platform and voltage, such as an 18V or 20V system
- Location, such as “Garage / Pegboard” or “Shed / Shelf 2”
- Any marking you added, and where on the tool it is
- Who has it, if it is on loan
Finding serial numbers on power tools
Most power tools carry a rating label or nameplate on the housing, often on the side of the motor or the base of the handle. On cordless tools, also look inside the battery slot. DEWALT, for example, says its model numbers start with the letter D, and that the serial number and an 8-digit date code (year then week) are on the rating label or in the battery compartment.
Batteries and chargers have their own labels, so record them separately if they are valuable. Labels wear off on tools that get heavy use, so photograph them while they are still readable. For a bike, the frame number is usually stamped under the bottom bracket, where the cranks meet. For a mower, look for a decal on the deck or under the seat, and note the engine’s separate code.
Engraving and marking your tools
A serial number identifies the tool, but it does not say it is yours, and it can be scratched off. Police property-marking programs such as Operation ID suggest engraving an identifying number on each valuable item so recovered property can be traced back to you. The Portsmouth (NH) Police guide advises using your driver’s license number with your state, choosing a flat spot on a part that cannot be removed, and not using your Social Security number.
Paint pens, colored tape or a stamped initial on handles make your tools easy to spot on a shared job or a neighbor’s bench. Whatever you use, note it in your inventory so you can describe it in a report.
- Engrave on the housing, not a removable guard or battery
- Photograph the marking once it is done
- Use the same mark on every tool so it is recognizable
- Register bikes with the serial number and photos in a bike registry; Vancouver police report bike thefts fell from 3,065 in 2015 to 1,049 in 2023 after adopting Project 529
Organize by location: wall, shelf, shed
A tool inventory is most useful when it tells you where to walk to. Name locations the way you see them, from the room down to the shelf, and keep it to two or three levels.
- Garage / Pegboard
- Garage / Workbench / Drawer 1
- Garage / Shelf 2
- Garage / Wall rack (bikes)
- Shed / Lawn and garden
- Workshop / Tool chest
- Car / Trunk kit
Batteries, chargers and kits
Cordless kits get split up. The drill lives on the pegboard, its batteries are in the charger on the bench, and the case is in the loft. Record batteries and chargers as their own entries with the platform and voltage, and note which tools share them. If you own two platforms, a tag for each saves confusion when you buy a new bare tool.
Batteries also wear out. Record the purchase date so you know how old a pack is, and keep the warranty details, which often differ from the tool’s.
Lending tools out without losing them
Most missing tools were not stolen. They were lent. A simple record turns “I think Sam has the hedge trimmer” into a certainty.
Note the loan when it happens
Write who has it and the date, and move it to a location such as “On loan”.
Take a quick photo
A picture of the tool, its case and its batteries shows what went out together.
Check the list now and then
Filter by the loan location once a month and send a friendly reminder.
Return it to its place
When it comes back, move it to its usual location so the list stays right.
Insurance and tools: what to check
Homeowners and renters policies generally treat hand and power tools as personal property, and a detached garage or shed is usually covered under “other structures”. Coverage details differ by insurer, so check yours with these questions in mind.
Tools used for paid work may count as business property, which standard homeowners policies typically limit to $2,500 on the premises. If you run a side business or keep work tools at home, ask your agent about a home business endorsement or a separate tools policy. Theft from a vehicle, tools left at a job site, and high-value equipment may also have their own limits.
- Is the garage or shed covered for theft as well as damage?
- Are tools used for work covered, and up to what limit?
- Is a ride-on mower covered as personal property?
- Does the policy pay replacement cost or actual cash value?
How Allventory helps with a tool inventory
Allventory keeps every tool, its label and its paperwork in one place you can open on your phone in the garage.
Add several tools from one photo
Photograph a pegboard or a shelf and review the suggested name, category and tags for each tool before saving.
Read the serial from a photo
Photograph the rating label and check the suggested serial number.
Locations like “Garage / Pegboard”
Create nested locations for each wall, shelf and shed, then filter by location to see what belongs there, including sub-locations.
Your own fields for tools
Create a Tools category with attributes such as brand, model, voltage and battery platform, and use tags such as Lent out or Needs repair.
Receipts, warranties and manuals
Attach receipts and manuals to each tool, record warranty end dates, and turn on reminders 30, 7 and 1 day before they end.
Find it and export it
Search by name or serial number. Export a CSV on any plan, or Excel and insurance supporting documents on paid plans.
Questions people ask
How do I keep track of my tools?
Make a list with a photo, brand, model, serial number and location for each powered or valuable tool, and group small hand tools into sets. Record loans when they happen and update locations when things move.
Where is the serial number on a power tool?
Usually on the rating label on the tool housing, often near the motor or the base of the handle, or inside the battery compartment on cordless tools.
What should I engrave on my tools?
Police property-marking programs commonly suggest your driver’s license number with your state, engraved on a part that cannot be removed. They advise against using your Social Security number.
Does homeowners insurance cover tools stolen from my garage?
Tools are usually covered as personal property, subject to your deductible and limits. Tools used for business often have a much lower limit, so check your policy or ask your agent.
How do I organize tools in a garage?
Group them by task and give each zone a name, such as pegboard, workbench drawers or the lawn and garden shelf. Recording those names in your inventory lets you find any tool quickly.