Top 5 Tips for Finishing Home Maintenance This Summer
Home maintenance is one of the most dreaded yet most needed tasks you can accomplish this summer. By prioritizing your chores, things will move by more quickly and efficiently.
#1 MAKE A CHECKLIST
Unlike the traditional honey-do list, this checklist should be made well in advance of the beginning of summer and given important attention. Highlighting the most needed repairs and forgotten fixes will keep you focused each chance you get to tackle the list.
#2 RESEARCH
Don’t assume you know all the things that need to be maintained around your home. Check your home owner’s guides, home owner’s association bylaws, and the internet for ideas on areas you may be missing. The majority of large cost home repairs could have been avoided through regular maintenance and checkups done each year. This step is especially important if you are not the original owner of the home or if you are a new home buyer.
#3 SET TIME ASIDE
Make sure to allot time to finish your home maintenance. Planning on spending an entire weekend completely the whole list at one time or using every weekend for a month for its completion is not realistic. Planning both family time and shore time will make completing your list more probable and less of a struggle.
#4 THIS IS A FAMILY AFFAIR
No one person in a home is solely responsible for home maintenance. Incorporating family time and list completion is the perfect way to keep the momentum rolling and add a little fun as well. Younger children can help with the easiest of tasks, while older children can work as a helper for the larger more in depth projects.
#5 REWARD YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY
As with any large job, reward is necessary. Working toward a goal always makes a job more fun. Planning a family vacation or special dinner night as a goal for completing your summer maintenance list is a great way to spark interest from the whole family.
Home maintenance is a necessary evil in life. We must take care of the home that houses us. By keeping things in perspective and setting goals and guidelines, your chores will disappear in no time and you can get back to that honey-do list.
Example Summer Check List For Home Maintenance
* Clean and Care for Deck
* Clean Siding
* Check Crawlspace
* Maintain Yard Growth
* Test and Lubricate Garage Door
* Remove Rust On Railings
* Check Skylights
* Clean Shower Heads
* Change Furnace Filters
* Test Carbon Monoxide Detectors
* Test Smoke Detectors
