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Adding & Editing Items

Items are the core of StowFindSell. Documenting your physical belongings securely allows you to track their value, remember exactly where you stored them, and prove ownership for potential insurance claims.

Single Item Creation Flows

There are multiple ways to add an item to your digital inventory, depending on what type of object it is and how much detail you need to record.

1. Manual Entry (For Basic Items)

  1. Look for the large, square green button with a white "+" shape inside it, located in the bottom right corner of your screen.
  2. Clicking or tapping this button will pop up a small menu with three options: Add Box/Room, Bulk Upload, and Add Individual Item.
  3. Select Add Individual Item to open the main entry form.
  4. Fill out the form with details about your object:
    • Item Name: A clear title (e.g., "Apple iPad Pro").
    • Location: Where is the item currently stored in your house?
    • Category: Group the item practically. You can choose from the 20 included Base Categories or create your own custom buckets.
    • Tags: Add custom hashtags (e.g., "#needs-repair", "#vintage") to capture highly specific filterable details without cluttering your overarching categories.
    • Photo: Take a clear picture of the item using your phone or upload one from your computer.
    • Financials: Enter the Purchase Price and an Estimated Current Value.

Built-in Taxonomy (Base Categories & Tags)

While you are free to infinitely customize your drop-downs in the main Settings page, StowFindSell ships with 20 robust Base Categories designed to capture 99% of a typical household's inventory:

  • Appliances
  • Books, Movies & Music
  • Clothing & Accessories
  • Crafts & Hobbies
  • Documents
  • Electronics
  • Furniture
  • Garage & Automotive
  • Health & Medical
  • Home Decor
  • Kitchenware
  • Linens & Bedding
  • Office Supplies
  • Pet Supplies
  • Seasonal & Holiday
  • Sports & Outdoors
  • Storage & Organization
  • Tools & Equipment
  • Toys & Games
  • Valuables & Collectibles

2. Barcode & ISBN Scanning (The Fastest Approach)

If you are cataloging a book or a product that still has its retail barcode box, use the Native Scanner instead of typing everything out.

  1. Click the large green "+" button in the bottom right corner and select Add Individual Item.
  2. Next to the "Item Name" input field, click the Scan đź“· button.
  3. Point your phone camera directly at the barcode (UPC on a product box) or ISBN (on the back of a book).
  4. The system will instantly search external databases and automatically type in the precise retail name of the product, and usually embed a high-quality stock photo for you.

3. AI Vision Valuation (The Intelligent Approach)

If you have a unique item (like modern furniture, art, or apparel without a barcode), let the AI assist you in pricing and categorizing it.

  1. Click the large green "+" button and select Add Individual Item.
  2. Take a photo of the item using the primary photo uploader block at the top of the form.
  3. Beneath the photo, click the Scan Image with AI button.
  4. The AI will analyze your photo, identify the exact make or model, assign an appropriate Category, and provide an Estimated Retail Value based on current internet prices.
  5. If the AI prediction looks correct, click the Accept Suggestion checkmark to instantly fill your form with those details.

Dynamic Ownership & Auto-Fill

StowFindSell includes a "Dynamic Ownership" system to keep track of who owns what in your house.

When creating an item, the Owner field acts smartly:

  • It automatically suggests the names of other family members you have invited to your household.
  • It remembers custom names you've typed in the past (e.g., "Joint Ownership", "The Kids", or "Dad").
  • Most importantly, when you save an item under a specific owner, the form remembers that preference. If you immediately catalog a second object right after, the Owner field remains pre-filled with the same person, speeding up your entry time.

Bulk Room Uploads

If you don't need highly detailed individual photos or AI valuations right now, and instead just want to rapidly document a storage bin full of tools or a closet of clothes, use the Bulk Upload feature.

Instead of filling out a massive form for every single object, Bulk Upload lets you create dozens of items at once just by typing a simple list.

  1. Look for the large green "+" button in the bottom right corner and select Bulk Upload.
  2. Select the Target Location for all these items (e.g., "Tool Chest - Drawer 3").
  3. Select a Target Category (e.g., "Tools & Equipment"). Everything you type next will be assigned to this room and category.
  4. In the large text area, type one item per line. Press the "Enter" or "Return" key after each item to separate them.
    • Example:
    • Hammer
    • Wrench Set
    • Box of assorted screws
    • Power Drill
  5. Click Add Items.

The system instantly creates a distinct, individual row in your database for every single line you typed, automatically assigning them all to the selected location and category in a fraction of a second. You can always go back and add photos or prices to them individually later on.

Archiving Items (Hiding without Deleting)

If you have items that you no longer own (maybe they broke, or you gave them away) but you still want to keep their records for tax, historical, or insurance purposes, you should Archive them instead of permanently deleting them.

  1. Click on any item to open its detailed view form.
  2. Scroll to the "Item Status" section.
  3. Turn on the Archive Item toggle switch.
  4. Click Save.

What happens when an item is archived? Archived items are completely hidden from all main application views (like the Dashboard, All Items list, and Location pages) to reduce visual clutter. However, their data is still safely saved in your database, retaining their original categories and locations!

If you ever need to find an archived item later, simply go to your "All Items" screen and toggle the Show Archived switch at the top. This will reveal all hidden historical items alongside your active ones.

The Evidence Ladder & Proof Packs

For insurance purposes, not all item entries are created equal. An insurance adjuster needs concrete proof of ownership and value. StowFindSell uses a proprietary grading system called the Evidence Ladder to help you build an irrefutable Proof Pack.

How Items Are Graded (A through D)

Every item in your inventory is automatically assigned an Evidence Grade based on the quality and quantity of its documentation:

  • Grade A (Bulletproof): The gold standard for insurance. The item has a Photo, a specific Serial Number, and a scanned Receipt (or Proof of Purchase). An insurance company cannot dispute this.
  • Grade B (Strong): Very good documentation. The item has a Photo and either a Serial Number or a Receipt.
  • Grade C (Average): Basic documentation. The item has a Photo, but lacks specific identifying numbers or financial proof.
  • Grade D (Weak): Poor documentation. The item has no Photo, no Serial Number, and no Receipt. It is merely a text entry and could be easily disputed by an adjuster.

You can view an item's current Evidence Grade at the top of its Detail View.

Generating a Proof Pack

If you experience a disaster (fire, theft, etc.) and need to submit a claim:

  1. Navigate to the All Items or Dashboard view.
  2. Ensure your inventory is as up-to-date as possible, aiming to increase the grades of your most valuable items to 'A' or 'B'.
  3. Use the Export tools (often located near the top of lists) to generate a highly structured CSV or PDF.
  4. This exported document serves as your "Proof Pack"—a legally sound, categorized, and mathematically totaled ledger containing photographic evidence and financial records that you can upload directly to your insurance provider's claim portal.