Systematize maintenance for a healthy home

By Sally Baird

Like a regular health check-up, a home maintenance schedule is important for every house’s upkeep. Our homes are one of our most valuable assets. Maintaining a safe and healthy home is essential to protecting your home’s value and will help keep little problems from turning into bigger ones later.

Here in Southern Indiana, we deal with a lot of seasonal challenges—from frozen pipes and clogged gutters to flooding and mold—that need constant oversight.

Let technology be your friend

There is an abundance of digital tools and apps to make home maintenance tasks less onerous. Each can customize your schedule and send you reminders when it’s time to take action—whether you do the work yourself or hire it out.

• Wired magazine calls BrightNest the “LifeHacker for your home.” It helps you customize task lists, set up alerts and much more, including DIY instructions for various home maintenance tasks: https://brightnest.com
• The free HomeZada app is more than adequate for most homeowners’ needs. Easily track your maintenance calendar and manage small repairs and large home projects: http://www.homezada.com/mobile-apps.html
• The Centriq app offers a lot of unique features that streamline home maintenance for homeowners: https://mycentriq.com

You may prefer a paper calendar, an Excel spreadsheet or a Google doc; no matter what system you use to create a maintenance schedule, it will help you stay on top of home maintenance and avoid the costly repairs that might occur as a result neglect.

Do you have a favorite home maintenance organizer you’d like to share?