One of the least palatable aspects of being a homeowner is the general maintenance that keeps it up and running on a daily basis. When your water heater breaks or your kitchen floods, it’s up to you to get the mess sorted out – and so prevention is a useful approach to take. If you have just moved into a new home and feel as if you’re looking at a mountain of jobs to complete in terms of maintaining its upkeep, here are the bare essentials you need when it comes to looking after your beloved abode.
Book annual furnace servicing
Your furnace is almost like the pumping heart of your home. It keeps your showers hot, your home warm in the winter and your clothes clean. Getting your heating system serviced regularly ensures that you won’t come home to a freezing cold home in the winter months. It passes many people’s minds as it’s not necessarily an urgent job, but it is a useful one.
Keep the name of a reliable plumber and electrician
Getting your furnace serviced prevents any mishaps with your heating or hot water, but sometimes the inevitable happens with your plumbing or electricity. Scrambling around for an emergency tradesperson at the last minute can be a costly way of dealing with the problem. Using an online database of local plumbers and other useful handymen to keep the name of someone who can help you out when you’re in a pickle will help make life easier. Along with keeping a number handy for when something goes wrong, it’s also wise to get your plumbing checked every now and then. This ensures you won’t be caught off guard by leaks or hidden problems that you didn’t know existed.
Establish a check-list
In order to keep on top of your home maintenance, you will need to remember everything that needs to be done. Writing a list not only reminds you of what needs to be done, but also provides a visual reminder that the list might not be as extensive as you originally thought. Here’s an example of what your checklist could include:
- Scrub down the patio: it’s a good idea to get a head-start with this one. You will have been using it all spring and summer, but during the winter months, it will be somewhat neglected. Giving it a decent clean will mean that when it comes round to springtime again, you’ll have far less to do.
- Shelves and cupboards: one by one, be sure to open cupboards, dust them out, and have a quick organize. Rearranging how objects are stored not only makes your life easier but can also improve the aesthetic of the room.
- Clean carpets: the cost of replacing a carpet, as opposed to simply cleaning it, is far greater by comparison. Doing this once a year will help to keep your home feeling fresh and clean.
- De-clutter: having a critical look at everything you own and deciding what can be chucked and what can be saved is a great way to keep general mess at bay.
- Prune and weed out the garden: this is not just important for curb appeal, but for also improving its general appearance throughout the year. Plants are constantly growing and moving through their own respective cycles, and so regular maintenance is necessary.
Put the unpleasant tasks first
There are some tasks that are just not first on people’s ‘want to do’ lists. Some household maintenance tasks are a bit grueling, or maybe even unpleasant. While they’re not anyone’s favorite hobby it’s important to get them done to avoid future problems. For example cleaning your cooker hood is vital for safety and hygiene, but it’s not as quick and easy as giving your TV stand a dusting. The best way to get these tasks out of the way is to put them first. By biting the bullet and getting them completed you will thank yourself later when you can take up much easier, less fussy tasks.
Not many people enjoy the process of looking after their home’s condition, but the rewards for doing so will be seen for years to come. Not only will it make your house a place you look forward to coming back to, but it will improve its curb appeal should you ever want to sell it. By chipping away at each task on a regular basis, you will minimize the workload in the future.