Keeping up with home maintenance can feel like an overwhelming chore that’s never finished. It ranges from small things, like changing your air filter, to large projects, like cleaning out the garage. Probably the most difficult part of home maintenance, though, is remembering when it’s time to do each task.
Some examples of time-sensitive home maintenance tasks include cleaning gutters in the fall to prevent clogging from leaves, inspecting and repairing caulking around windows and doors annually to maintain energy efficiency, and servicing the HVAC system twice a year to ensure optimal performance before each season. These tasks, if overlooked, can lead to costly repairs or decreased comfort in the home.
The days, weeks, and months seem to fly by. You may miss important tasks to keep your home in tip-top shape. But that doesn’t have to be the case! This article offers four ways to track home maintenance so you don’t forget or overlook these important projects.
1. Create a Home Maintenance Log
Creating a home maintenance log is one of the best options for remembering maintenance projects. Take advantage of digital calendars like Calendar, Google Calendar, or Microsoft Calendar to schedule your home maintenance tasks. Simply enter a task that is due, such as cleaning out rain gutters. Rain gutters should really be cleaned at least twice a year, in the spring and fall, unless you have pine trees near your home. In that case, you should clear them every three months to prevent blockages.
Choose a date that suits you and make a new entry in the calendar. You can also easily update entries to be repeated daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly. This is incredibly helpful for keeping up-to-date on your home maintenance. Once you enter your projects for the first time, you can schedule years’ worth of reminders. For your rain gutters, enter a date in the spring and one in the fall, and mark them to repeat yearly. Utilizing technology helps remind you of notifications. You’ll have no excuse for not remembering the work, even if you are prone to time blindness.
In each entry, be sure to include the date that the maintenance was last done. Also, write down how often it should be completed and who does the work. Include contact information if the work is done by hired help. You may also want to include the cost of the service. If you do it yourself, include supplies needed, such as the filter type, screw size, or color of paint used. You may also want to include links to instructional articles or videos to help you complete the project. You can make the most of your calendar by linking it to smart devices, like Amazon Echo or Google Home. That way, your smart device can remind you even if you don’t look at your calendar.
2. Create a Maintenance Binder
If you’re more of a hands-on type of person, then a maintenance binder may be your preferred option for scheduling chores. Get a sturdy binder and tabbed separators. You can write different sections of your home on the tabs, such as roof, basement, or kitchen. You can also write specific areas that require tasks, like drains, shingles, or HVAC.
In each section, include pertinent information about the task at hand. You may write down when it’s due, who completes it, and warning signs that it needs attention. The nice thing about a binder is that you can keep old quotes, invoices, and other important documents in one place. This will give you a good idea of what to expect financially for service calls for regular maintenance.
In addition to maintenance materials, you may also want to store information about your utilities, mortgage, and insurance. Plus, keep manuals and warranties for your HVAC system and appliances. If something goes wrong, you can easily find documents on whether the appliance is covered for repairs. Sometimes, companies offer routine service calls to provide preventative maintenance. Keeping track of this information is important to make the most of your purchases.
3. Set Reminders on Your Phone
Your phone is smart. Use all it can do by utilizing reminders and apps for your home maintenance scheduling. You can, of course, use a calendar app on your phone to track your maintenance and repairs. These apps often offer much more than the default calendar app installed on your phone.
When looking for a calendar app, you should find one that is customizable and easy to use. It should allow you to create and edit tasks and notify you of upcoming chores. You should also be able to invite friends who may be helping you with home maintenance projects. A good calendar app should also help you keep up with your goals.
You can also find specific apps designed for home maintenance, such as HomeZada. Maintenance apps allow you to track everything from small repairs to major home renovation projects. They manage your scheduling for the upkeep of your home and monitor financial details like the cost of repairs. HomeZada also has a home inventory feature, which allows you to upload photos of your rooms and keep track of belongings. This is especially helpful for insurance claims, but can be used for monitoring upkeep and repairs as well.
4. Make a Checklist
Another way of managing your maintenance schedule is to make a checklist to keep you organized and prevent you from becoming overwhelmed. You can make your own checklist, print available online, or take advantage of the tasks feature in a calendar app. If you create your own, be sure it’s repeatable. It’s wise to avoid just taking a pen to paper, as you’ll have to create it all over again next year. Instead, use a program — even Google Spreadsheets or Microsoft Excel — to design a maintenance checklist.
If you choose to print a checklist, write down the URL or site name where you got it. You will want to use it again in years to come. Or better yet, keep a blank version you can make copies of as needed. The best option, again, is to take advantage of technology and use the tasks feature on your calendar app.
Many digital calendars have a separate tasks feature. You can enter tasks one by one and set the deadline for appropriate days, which enables you to see them on your calendar. You can also view a task list in chronological order. Tasks can even be assigned to people so households can share the load of home maintenance.
Utilizing Scheduling Strategies
Maintaining your home doesn’t have to be an overwhelming chore. By utilizing the abovementioned strategies, you can efficiently track tasks and ensure that nothing slips through the cracks. You can be ready when it’s time to change your HVAC air filter. Plus, you’ll know the filter size you need to buy and the cost you previously paid for it. If you use a contractor or service for larger home maintenance projects, you’ll have the contact information right at your fingertips. Taking proactive steps to track home maintenance ensures a well-maintained and efficient household, saving you time, money, and stress.
Featured Image Credit: Photo by Binyamin Mellish; Pexels
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