My first packout was also my first day of work in the restoration industry, more than 10 years ago. I was taken to a packout at an apartment complex in Durham, N.C. Work had already started. There were people working – who would later become lifelong friends – and they were already busy wrapping various pieces of contents. The job was a multi-unit water damage project. We were brought in as a specialty sub-contractor for the packout. 

One of my co-workers, with the help of her assistant, was taking down the inventory on pre-formatted sheets of paper. Information included job name, box number, description and not much else.  The inventory happened in a separate room from the packing. After the inventory was collected, the person doing the inventory would then allow the others in so they could start boxing and wrapping. If the inventory took longer than the wrapping, and it always did, the rest of the crew (which included me at the time) would have to wait.