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Self-Host Homebox: Home Inventory Management 2026

·OSSAlt Team
homeboxinventoryhomeself-hostingdockerorganization2026

TL;DR

Homebox (AGPL 3.0, ~3K GitHub stars, Go/Vue) is a home inventory management system. Catalog everything you own — electronics, furniture, tools, kitchen items — with locations, labels, warranty info, purchase details, and even QR codes for physical labeling. Perfect for insurance claims, moving, decluttering, or just knowing where everything is. Sortly charges $9/month; Homebox is free and keeps your data private.

Key Takeaways

  • Homebox: AGPL 3.0, ~3K stars, Go/Vue — home inventory management
  • Locations: Organize by room, closet, drawer, shelf — nested hierarchy
  • Labels: Flexible tagging — Electronics, Kitchen, Important Docs
  • QR codes: Generate and print QR labels that link to item details
  • Warranty tracking: Store purchase date, warranty expiry, receipts
  • CSV import/export: Bulk import from spreadsheets

Part 1: Docker Setup

# docker-compose.yml
services:
  homebox:
    image: ghcr.io/sysadminsmedia/homebox:latest
    container_name: homebox
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "7745:7745"
    volumes:
      - homebox_data:/data
    environment:
      HBOX_LOG_LEVEL: info
      HBOX_LOG_FORMAT: text
      HBOX_WEB_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE: 10    # MB

volumes:
  homebox_data:

docker compose up -d

Visit http://your-server:7745 → create your account → start cataloging.

Part 2: HTTPS with Caddy

inventory.yourdomain.com {
    reverse_proxy localhost:7745
}

Part 3: Setting Up Locations

Locations represent physical places where items are stored:

Location hierarchy

🏠 Home
  ├── 🛋️ Living Room
  │   ├── TV Stand
  │   └── Bookshelf
  ├── 🍳 Kitchen
  │   ├── Upper Cabinets
  │   ├── Lower Cabinets
  │   └── Pantry
  ├── 🛏️ Bedroom
  │   ├── Closet
  │   └── Nightstand
  ├── 🖥️ Office
  │   ├── Desk
  │   └── Cable Drawer
  └── 🏗️ Garage
      ├── Tool Wall
      ├── Storage Shelf 1
      └── Storage Shelf 2

Create locations:

  1. Locations → + Create Location
  2. Name: Kitchen
  3. Parent: Home (for nested hierarchy)
  4. Description: optional notes

Part 4: Adding Items

Basic item

  1. Items → + Create Item
  2. Fill in:
    • Name: MacBook Pro 16"
    • Description: M3 Max, 36GB RAM, 1TB SSD
    • Location: Office → Desk
    • Labels: Electronics, Work
    • Quantity: 1

Purchase details

Purchase Details:
  - Purchase From: Apple Store
  - Purchase Price: $3,499
  - Purchase Date: 2025-11-15

Warranty information

Warranty:
  - Warranty Expires: 2028-11-15
  - Warranty Details: AppleCare+ (3 years)
  - Lifetime Warranty: No

Attachments

Upload photos, receipts, manuals:

  • Photos: Take a picture of the item
  • Receipts: Upload purchase receipt (PDF or image)
  • Manuals: Product manual PDFs
  • Warranty cards: Scanned warranty documents

Part 5: Labels

Labels are flexible tags for cross-cutting categorization:

Suggested label system

Category:    Electronics, Furniture, Kitchen, Tools, Clothing, Books
Priority:    Important, Valuable, Insured
Status:      In Use, Storage, Needs Repair, For Sale, Lent Out
Room:        (use Locations instead for physical placement)

Create labels

  1. Labels → + Create Label
  2. Name: Electronics
  3. Description: optional

Filter by labels

Click any label to filter items — great for:

  • Insurance claim: Filter by Insured + Valuable to list high-value items
  • Moving: Filter by Fragile to identify items needing special packing
  • Maintenance: Filter by Needs Repair to track items needing attention

Part 6: QR Codes

Generate QR labels

  1. Select an item → QR Code tab
  2. Print the QR code
  3. Stick it on the item or its storage bin
  4. Scan with your phone → opens item details directly

Bulk QR labels

Print a sheet of QR codes for multiple items:

  1. Items → Select multiple items
  2. Generate QR Labels
  3. Print on label sheets (Avery-compatible)

Use cases

  • Stick on storage bins in the garage
  • Label cable drawers
  • Tag electronics with serial numbers
  • Label boxes when moving

Part 7: CSV Import/Export

Import from spreadsheet

Import Name,Import Description,Import Location,Import Labels,Import Quantity,Import Purchase Price,Import Purchase From,Import Purchase Date
MacBook Pro,M3 Max 36GB,Office / Desk,Electronics;Work,1,3499,Apple Store,2025-11-15
Standing Desk,Uplift V2 72x30,Office,Furniture;Work,1,899,Uplift Desk,2024-06-01
KitchenAid Mixer,Professional 600,Kitchen / Counter,Kitchen;Appliance,1,349,Amazon,2023-12-25

Items → Import → CSV → upload → map columns → import.

Export

Items → Export → CSV

Full item database exported as CSV — use for insurance documentation or spreadsheet analysis.

Part 8: Reports and Statistics

Overview dashboard

  • Total items: Count of all cataloged items
  • Total value: Sum of all purchase prices
  • Items by location: Bar chart of item distribution
  • Items by label: Category breakdown
  • Warranties expiring soon: Upcoming expirations

Insurance documentation

Export your entire inventory with:

  • Item name and description
  • Purchase price and date
  • Photos and receipts
  • Serial numbers
  • Current location

This is invaluable for:

  • Home insurance claims: Documented proof of ownership
  • Rental insurance: Required for renter's insurance
  • Tax purposes: Track depreciable business assets

Maintenance

# Update:
docker compose pull
docker compose up -d

# Backup:
tar -czf homebox-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz \
  $(docker volume inspect homebox_homebox_data --format '{{.Mountpoint}}')

# Logs:
docker compose logs -f homebox

See also: Grocy — household management with groceries, recipes, and chores

See all open source productivity tools at OSSAlt.com/categories/productivity.

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