Home maintenance can feel like a never-ending struggle, especially in a home where all the adults work. If only there was some sort of list of tips designed specifically for busy people — oh, hey, here it is.
Maintaining your home doesn’t have to be a constant struggle. There are numerous ways to save yourself time and effort, and we’ve helpfully compiled 12 of them for you right here.
I’ll warn you now: There’s no magic solution (aside from maybe hiring a full-time maid, but real life isn’t The Brady Bunch). There will be some work involved, but if you follow these simple tips, there will be much less work — and less stress — in the long run.
Make a Schedule
When you work all day, the last thing you want to do at home is more work. But this is where a schedule helps. Instead of being in a constant mad dash to keep up-to-date, each job can have a specified day and time, so you can put it out of your mind.
If you use a physical calendar, great! But if you’re like me and will simply forget to look at your calendar, set reminders in your phone. You can make them recur as often as you need to do a task. It’s a small thing, but it’s so helpful!
Monthly Inspections
Set aside some time once a month to walk through your whole property. I promise it takes less time than you think, and it will save you from having to make major repairs in the long term.
You’re looking for signs of insects, small animals, leaky pipes, or other issues inside and outside of your home. Pay special attention to areas you don’t see every day, like attics, basements, utility rooms, and fences. This will help you catch minor problems before they become major disasters.
Take Inventory
This goes hand-in-hand with making inspections: take inventory of your supplies so you know what you have and what you need.
I’m talking about a range of items, from paper towels to carpet cleaners to laundry detergents. You don’t want to get caught unprepared when something happens, and if you already have supplies on hand, you’ll be in a much better place to quickly deal with a situation without eating up hours of your time.
Use a Robot Vacuum
This will change your entire life. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Aren’t those for rich people?” It’s not 2005 anymore! Robot vacuums aren’t just more advanced; they’re cheaper than ever — some basic models cost less than a single grocery trip.
If you’re willing to spring for a little extra, the higher-end models will go so far as to mop the floor and empty their own dustbins. Why add one more job to your plate when a robot can do it for you?
Snake Your Drains
Here’s something that will only take minutes of your time now but will save you hours in the long run: Clean your drains before they clog. Busy folks like us don’t have time to drop everything and unclog a drain, so take a couple of minutes to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Snaking is better than using drain cleaner regularly because it will put less wear and tear on your pipes. If you don’t want to spring for a drain snake from your local hardware store, you can just as easily use a wire coat hanger.
Watch Your Bills
Don’t just pay your water, gas, and electric bills — pay close attention to them. Has something gone up in the past month? Don’t just complain about it; find out why.
A utility bill spiking could be a sign of a problem in your house. Plumbing, electrical, and gas issues are just like problems with your own health: early detection is key. Solve the problem now, while it’s small before it becomes a big problem you don’t have the time to deal with.
Change Your Filters
How often you need to change filters in your furnace, air conditioner and other appliances depends on a number of factors, including the models and the size of your home. Pay attention to the instructions for your appliances and set reminders to change them.
Failing to change filters on time can lead to clogging, unpleasant smells, a drop in air quality, or even total failure. Set a reminder and take care of your filters so your home can continue to take care of you.
Keep Your AC Unit Clean
If you have an outdoor AC unit, it’s important to check it regularly to ensure it stays working smoothly.
Clean off any debris — they can be a magnet for falling leaves and twigs — and spray the fins with your garden hose. These simple steps will keep your AC unit working longer and more efficiently and save you from the trouble of having to deal with an air conditioning outage at the height of summer heat.
Use an Air Purifier
Aside from the benefits of breathing clean air — reducing allergens, filtering out viruses, and better sleep, to name a few — air purifiers can actually help you keep your home clean.
Air purifiers with a HEPA filter are designed to remove particles from the air. That means less dust floating around and waiting to settle on your furniture and gum up your electronics.
Have Your Trees Examined
This is one job you can outsource. Have an arborist or tree trimming service visit your home to identify what needs to be done and how often. In general, trees around your home should be serviced every 3-5 years, but this can vary depending on a number of factors.
An expert can tell you which trees need maintenance and which could become problems in the future. The last thing you need is a tree crashing through your roof or taking down a utility line. The best part is you don’t even need to be home to have an inspection done.
Dehumidify Your Basement
A humid basement can be worse than smelly and uncomfortable; it can lead to mold, rotten wood, and even illness.
A simple dehumidifier will go a long way toward mitigating these issues. If the problem persists, however, you may need to look into addressing the source of the moisture in your basement before it becomes a bigger problem.
Clean Your Refrigerator Coils
You never realize how important your fridge is until it fails. Luckily, you can help make sure this doesn’t happen by keeping its coils clean.
Once every couple weeks, take a minute to pull your refrigerator out from the wall, vacuum the coils, and give them a quick wipe-down. I know for a fact that pet hair absolutely loves to gather behind the fridge, and when the coils are left dirty, failure becomes more likely. This small task will keep you from losing all your cold groceries — and your precious time.
Read More From Things That Make People Go Aww — 18 Genius Tips Homeowners Are Overlooking
Owning a home is great, but it comes with a list of maintenance tasks that often get overlooked. While big projects like kitchen remodels or deck additions grab your attention, it’s the small, routine tasks that can make a significant difference in keeping your home running smoothly.
Taking care of your home doesn’t have to be hard. By doing things like testing smoke detectors and trimming bushes, you can avoid costly repairs. A little effort now can save you a lot of trouble — and money — later and keep your home looking and feeling great.
