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Getting Started with StowFindSell

Welcome to StowFindSell! This is your intelligent home inventory and organization system. Whether you are cataloging valuables for insurance purposes, packing for a move, or simply trying to get organized, this guide will help you understand the basics.

Core Concepts

Understanding these four core concepts will make using the app a breeze:

  1. Households: This is your private, secure digital space. Everything you create (items, locations, photos) belongs to a single Household.
  2. Members: Family or friends who have been invited to join your Household. Depending on their Role (Admin, Editor, or Viewer), they have different permissions.
  3. Locations: The physical places where things are kept. This can be as large as a "Master Bedroom" or as specific as a "Clear Plastic Bin underneath the Stairs". Locations can be nested inside each other.
  4. Items: Your physical belongings. Every item is assigned to a Location and can have photos, estimated values, purchase details, and condition notes attached to it.

Your First Steps: The Household Setup

When you first log in to the application, you must either create a brand new Household or join an existing one. Since you are reading this guide inside the app, you have already completed this step!

Note: The person who creates the Household is automatically the Admin, giving them full control over all settings.

Defining Your Household Primary Goal

To get the most out of your digital inventory, we highly recommend defining a Primary Goal.

  1. Click on your profile initials in the top right corner and select Settings.
  2. Scroll down to the Household Details section.
  3. In the "Household Primary Goal" text box, describe why you are tracking your items (e.g., "Downsizing to a smaller home", "Preparing for an estate sale", or "Cataloging for insurance").
  4. Click Save Goal.

Why is this important? StowFindSell features a globally accessible AI assistant called the SFS Concierge (located in the bottom right corner). It isn't just a technical manual; it acts as a professional Home Organization Coach trained in expert decluttering methodologies (like KonMari and Swedish Death Cleaning). Whenever you ask the Concierge for analytical advice or organizational help, it will read your Primary Goal and heavily tailor its suggestions to support your specific objective.

Inviting Family Members (For Admins)

Because your Household is private, anyone else who wants to see or edit your inventory needs to be explicitly invited by you. Here is how you invite a spouse, child, or roommate:

1. Generating a Join Code

  1. Click on your profile initials in the top right corner of the screen.
  2. Select Settings from the dropdown menu to open the Household Administration panel.
  3. Look for the Join Code section. You will see a 6-character alphanumeric code (e.g., A1B2C3).

2. Giving the Code to Your Family Member

  1. Tell your family member to go to the StowFindSell website and register for a new account.
  2. Provide them with your 6-character Join Code.
  3. Once they log in for the first time, the onboarding screen will ask if they want to create a new household or join one. Tell them to click Join Existing Household and enter the code you provided.
  4. They are now in your digital home!

Note: For security purposes, all new members who join via a code are automatically assigned the Viewer role. They can look at your inventory, but they cannot add, edit, or delete anything until you upgrade them.

Managing Household Members & Changing Family Status (For Admins)

From the same Settings page (found in your top-right profile dropdown), you can manage everyone who has access to your household:

  • Change Family Status / Roles: Scroll down to the "Household Members" list. Next to each person's name, you will see a dropdown menu. Use this to change their status from a "Viewer" to an "Editor" (can add items but not change settings) or an "Admin" (can do everything you can do).
  • Remove Members: Click the "Remove" button next to a user's name to permanently revoke their access to your household data. They will no longer be able to log in and see your items.
  • Regenerate Code: If your Join Code was accidentally shared on the internet or given to the wrong person, click Regenerate Code. Important: The old code will immediately stop working so no new people can join. However, anyone who already joined your household using the old code will keep their access. You do not need to re-invite your current family members.

Your Account & Profile

If you need to update your personal information or security settings:

Changing Your Password

  1. Click on your profile initials in the top right corner of the screen.
  2. Select Profile from the dropdown menu.
  3. Look for the Change Password or Security section.
  4. Enter your current password to verify your identity, then type your new password twice to confirm it.
  5. Click Save. Your new password will be active the next time you log in.

Updating Your Name

From the same Profile page, you can update your First and Last name. This is the name that will appear next to items you add to the inventory, so your family knows who documented what.