What to Add to Ginkgo First

It can be tempting to try to inventory your entire home at once. We’d suggest a different approach: start with the things that cause you the most friction, and let the habit develop naturally from there.

The five best items to add first

1. Things you lose regularly Keys, a specific charger, a tool you use every few months — these are the items where Ginkgo will give you immediate, obvious value. Add them first.

2. Things stored in unusual places If something lives somewhere slightly unexpected (the spare batteries in the drawer under the oven, the emergency candles in the top of the wardrobe), that’s a perfect Ginkgo item. These are the things that are hard to find because they don’t have an obvious home.

3. Seasonal items Christmas decorations, camping equipment, summer garden furniture — these tend to move between storage locations and are genuinely hard to remember from year to year.

4. Items that others need to find independently If a housemate or family member regularly has to ask you where something is, that’s a sign it should be in Ginkgo. Once it is, they can find it themselves.

5. High-value items Insurance purposes aside, expensive items are worth documenting with a photo and serial number. If you need to make a claim, you’ll thank yourself.

What you don’t need to add

• Items with a single, obvious, permanent home that everyone knows
• Things you use every day (you know where those are)
• Disposable items with short lifespans (bin bags, cleaning supplies)

The goal

You don’t need a complete inventory for Ginkgo to be useful. An inventory of 50 well-chosen items is worth far more than a comprehensive inventory that nobody maintains. Start small, build the habit, and add more when it feels natural.