What is a move inventory list?

A move inventory list is a structured record of what you packed, which box it is in, and where that box should go. A useful household list is one row per item (not only per box) so you can search by name, mark fragile or high-value goods, and sort by destination room when unloading.

Why should I use one row per item instead of one row per box?

Finding belongings and documenting claims are item-level jobs. A single box note like kitchen stuff cannot tell you which box holds the chef's knife. One row per item lets spreadsheet search and filters answer that in seconds after the tape is on.

Is there a free Google Sheets template for move inventory?

Yes. GoesHere publishes a free Google Sheets template with Items (one row per item), Find, By room, High value, Boxes rollup, and How to use. Use File → Make a copy, then fill it as you pack. The template matches the Move Inventory v1.1 column set used on the guide.

What columns does a good packing inventory need?

At minimum: box number, item name, quantity, and destination room. Strong lists also include pickup room, box status, fragile and high-value flags, brand, category, est. value, condition, serial/model, notes, and a short box summary. Move Inventory v1.1 defines those columns for household use, claims, and spreadsheet handoff.

Do I need a moving app to inventory my boxes?

No. The free sheet works fully offline in Google Sheets without any app. A packing app can help if you want photos on each box and faster capture on your phone. GoesHere offers two free boxes with photo inventory if you want that path later.

How do I find something after everything is sealed?

Open the Items sheet and search or filter by item name, brand, or category. Read the Box number and destination room on that row. Walk to the labeled box. That only works if you logged items while packing, not after everything is already taped shut.

GoesHere · Guide

How to inventory a move (so you can find anything after you pack)

Inventory a move with numbered boxes and one spreadsheet row per item—not a vague note per box. As you pack, log box number, item name, quantity, and destination room; mark fragile and high-value lines. When something goes missing in the new place, filter the sheet by name or category, read the box number, and walk to the label. Use the free Google Sheets template below (File → Make a copy). The method works without any app; photos and AI are optional later.

Why box-level lists fail

Most DIY packing lists collapse a whole carton into one line: “Box 4 — kitchen.” That helps movers stack by room. It does not help you three weeks later when you need the chef’s knife, the passport sleeve, or the spare phone charger.

Box-only notes fail four household jobs at once:

Find — search needs an item name, brand, or category, not a room nickname.
Unload — destination room is useful, but you still cannot prioritize which sealed box to open first without knowing what is inside.
Claims / insurance — adjusters and photos want quantities, high-value flags, and specific goods tied to a box number.
Handoff — helpers and partners cannot split work from “misc bedroom” the way they can from a real item list.

The fix is simple: keep a short box summary if you like, but make the Items sheet the source of truth—one row per inventory line. Spreadsheet filter and search then do the hard work after the tape goes on.

The method

This is the same workflow encoded in the free template and in Move Inventory v1.1 (the column set GoesHere uses for household lists and future sheet sync).

Copy the free inventory sheet. Keep the Items tab primary and the Boxes tab as a summary. Put a clear move title on every row (for example Sample Apartment Move or Hill → Austin 2026).
Number every box before you tape it. Use a three-digit display number—001, 002, 003—so sheets sort cleanly. Write the number on two sides and the top. The physical label and the sheet must match.
Log one row per item as you pack. For each distinct line of inventory, add: box number, item name, quantity, and destination room (where the box should land). Add pickup room if you care about where it came from.
Mark fragile and high-value lines. Set Fragile and High value to Yes when handling or insurance matter. Optional but useful: brand, category, notes, and a short box summary repeated on the item rows for glanceable filters.
Seal the box and update status. When the tape is on, set box status to sealed (not still packing). When a box arrives at the new place, you can later mark received.
Find, unload, and hand off with filters. Search item name / brand / category → read box number. Sort by destination room for unload day. Share the sheet or export CSV for helpers and claims.

The free template

The public Google Sheet is built so Items is the only data you edit. Everything else is live:

Find — type a word in the search cell; matches update instantly
By room — unload view sorted by destination room
Boxes — one row per box, rolled up from Items with counts
Dashboard — totals + app import steps

Make a copy of the free inventory sheet

Import from the GoesHere app

File → Make a copy of the template (you need your own copy to edit).
In the app: Account → Privacy & Data → Export move inventory (CSV).
On the Items tab: File → Import → Upload the CSV → Replace current sheet.
Find, By room, High value, Boxes, and Dashboard recalculate automatically.

Export columns match Items exactly (claims fields blank until you fill them in the sheet). Do not paste over the formula tabs.

Column glossary

Headers below are the v1.1 contract—same names the free sheet and GoesHere’s CSV export use.

Items tab (primary)

Column	What to put
Move title	Free text for this move (e.g. Hill → Austin 2026).
Box number	Display number, preferably zero-padded (`001`).
Destination room	Unload room—where the box should go.
Pickup room	Optional origin room; blank is fine.
Box status	Lifecycle: `packing`, `sealed`, `received`, …
Item name	Required for item rows—what you will search for later.
Brand	Optional (Wüsthof, IKEA, Corelle…).
Category	Optional soft tag (kitchen, linens, decor…).
Quantity	Integer ≥ 1.
Fragile	Yes / No / blank.
High value	Yes / No / blank (insurance flag).
Est. value ($)	Optional dollar estimate for claims and Dashboard totals.
Condition	Excellent / Good / Fair / Poor / Unknown — useful for claims.
Serial / model	Electronics and valuables identifier (e.g. MacBook serial).
Source	How the line was entered: Manual, AI, or Corrected.
Photo layers	Optional layer indices if you photographed contents (e.g. `1, 2`).
Box summary	Short box-level note, denormalized for filtered views.
Notes	Free text (handling tips, “open first”).
Last updated	ISO timestamp preferred.

Boxes tab (summary)

Column	What to put
Move title / Box number / rooms / status	Same meaning as on Items (formula-filled).
Item count	How many item lines are in the box.
Fragile count / High value count	How many lines are flagged.
Est. value sum ($)	Sum of Est. value ($) for items in the box.
Box summary / Last updated	Glanceable note and timestamp.

Worked example

Imagine a small apartment move. You seal kitchen box 001 with dishes and a knife, and you are still packing bedroom box 002 with bedding and a lamp. On the Items sheet that looks like this:

Box	Dest.	Status	Item	Brand	Qty	Fragile	High value
001	Kitchen	sealed	Dinner plates	Corelle	8	Yes	No
001	Kitchen	sealed	Chef’s knife	Wüsthof	1	Yes	Yes
002	Bedroom	packing	Pillow set		2	No	No
002	Bedroom	packing	Table lamp	IKEA	1	Yes	No

Weeks later someone asks, “Where is the chef’s knife?” Filter Item name for knife (or Brand for Wüsthof). You get box 001, destination Kitchen, fragile and high value both Yes, plus a note to keep it in the knife-block sleeve. That answer is impossible from a single “kitchen box” line.

Full seed data with every v1.1 column (including Est. value, Condition, Serial / model) lives in the template and in the public example CSV.

Optional: GoesHere app

Prefer photos on the box and packing from your phone? The GoesHere app lets you label boxes, photograph layers of contents, and keep a searchable inventory. Two boxes are free so you can try the flow on a real move without buying anything. You can still export a spreadsheet-compatible inventory that aligns with this guide’s columns.

The sheet above stays fully useful on its own—the app is optional capture, not a requirement.

FAQ

What is a move inventory list?: A structured record of what you packed, which box it is in, and where that box should go. For households, the useful form is one row per item so you can search by name, flag fragile or high-value goods, and sort by destination room when unloading.
Why one row per item instead of one row per box?: Finding belongings and documenting claims are item-level jobs. A single note like “kitchen stuff” cannot tell you which sealed box holds the chef’s knife. One row per item lets filters answer that in seconds.
Is there a free Google Sheets template?: Yes—use the button above to make a copy. You get Dashboard, Items, Find, By room, High value, Boxes, and How to use matching Move Inventory v1.1. No app required.
What columns does a good packing inventory need?: Minimum: box number, item name, quantity, destination room. Strong lists also track box status, fragile and high-value flags, brand, category, est. value, condition, serial/model, notes, and a short box summary. That is the v1.1 glossary on this page.
Do I need a moving app?: No. The free sheet works in Google Sheets alone. An app helps if you want photo evidence on each box and faster phone capture. GoesHere offers two free boxes if you want to try that path.
How do I find something after everything is sealed?: Open Items, search or filter by item name, brand, or category, read the box number, and walk to the label. That only works if you logged items while packing—not after every box is already taped shut.