How many spare bolts do you own that fit absolutely nothing? That drawer full of random hardware exists because you guessed the size at the store. You guessed wrong. Again.

The fix isn't a bigger drawer. It's a searchable log of the exact sizes you actually need — the furnace filter, the mason jar lid, the bike tire, the toilet flapper, the weird metric bolt on your patio umbrella. Self-host it and it lives on your phone, in the store aisle, forever.

Why not just use Notes?

Notes apps turn into a wall of text. You can't filter "show me all my filter sizes" or sort by room. A small structured database does that in one tap. And when it's self-hosted, your home inventory isn't sitting on a company's server waiting to be mined or leaked.

Step 1: Pick the tool

Use NocoDB or Baserate — both are free, open-source, and look like a friendly spreadsheet. NocoDB is the easiest for beginners. Run it with Docker:

docker run -d --name nocodb \
  -p 8080:8080 \
  -v ~/nocodb:/usr/app/data \
  nocodb/nocodb:latest

Open http://your-server-ip:8080 and create your account. Done. No cloud sign-up.

Step 2: Build the table

Make one table called Sizes with these columns:

  • Item (text) — "Kitchen furnace filter"
  • Size (text) — "16x25x1"
  • Category (single select) — Filter, Bolt, Lid, Tire, Plumbing, Battery
  • Location (text) — "Hallway closet"
  • Last bought (date)
  • Photo (attachment) — snap the old part before you toss it

That photo column is the secret weapon. A picture of the worn-out flapper beats any description you'll write.

Step 3: Fill it as you go

Don't try to log everything in one weekend. Add an entry the moment you replace something. Changing a filter? Log it. Buying a new jar lid? Log it. In a month you'll have the stuff that actually matters.

Step 4: Make it reachable in the aisle

You need this on your phone while standing in the hardware store. Don't open ports to the internet — that's asking for trouble. Instead install Tailscale on your server and your phone. Now http://your-server-ip:8080 works from anywhere, encrypted, with no exposed ports.

Step 5: Add a quick filter view

In NocoDB, create a saved view grouped by Category. Tap "Filter" at the store, type "filter," and every size appears instantly. No more squinting at a dusty frame edge.

A privacy bonus

Retail apps that "remember your filter size" are quietly profiling your home and buying habits. Your self-hosted log tells nobody anything. The data never leaves your network.

Your takeaway: Next time you throw out a worn part, photograph it and log the size before it hits the bin. That one habit ends a lifetime of wrong-size guesses.