Personal Property Memorandum Template

A personal property memorandum is a simple document used alongside a will to list specific personal belongings and who should receive them. Instead of rewriting your will every time you want to update an item, the memorandum allows you to keep a separate list that can be changed more easily.

This document is commonly used for sentimental or personal items such as jewellery, tools, collectibles, artwork, or family heirlooms. While financial assets are usually handled in the will itself, smaller personal belongings are often organised using a memorandum.

Why people use a memorandum instead of updating a will

Updating a will can require legal assistance and formal signing procedures. For small personal items, this can be unnecessary and inconvenient.

A memorandum allows you to update the list without rewriting the entire will.

You can add new items over time
You can change who receives something
You can remove items that have been sold or gifted
You can add context notes explaining sentimental choices

This flexibility is why many estate planning lawyers recommend using a memorandum for personal belongings.

What items should be included

A memorandum is typically used for physical possessions rather than financial assets.

Jewellery and watches
Family heirlooms
Tools and hobby equipment
Artwork and collectibles
Furniture with sentimental value
Personal keepsakes

Large assets like property, investments, or bank accounts are normally handled directly in the will rather than in a memorandum.

Example structure of a personal property memorandum

Most memorandums are simple lists. They do not need complicated formatting, but they should clearly identify each item and who should receive it.

Item	Description	Recipient	Notes
Grandfather's watch	Gold pocket watch	Sarah	Belonged to grandfather Bill
Fishing rods	Shimano rod set	Matt	Used on yearly fishing trips
Record collection	Vinyl albums	Jake	Please keep together if possible

The key is clarity. The more clearly an item is described, the less room there is for confusion later.