Being a homeowner can be a bit overwhelming at times. It can easily become difficult to juggle your homeowner responsibilities with your family and work obligations while still taking time for yourself to relax. It's a problem made even more difficult when you don't plan ahead for things like home maintenance. Aside from keeping your home in good condition, some maintenance issues are also safety issues, making them all the more important to find time to tend to. So how can you make time to complete maintenance tasks and ensure you don't forget about them? In this article, we'll help you make a maintenance calendar that will help you hold yourself accountable to keep your home safe and in good condition.  

What should be on your calendar?

Each home is unique and will require different types of maintenance. But in general, most homes share characteristics that can be applied to your situation. We'll break up maintenance into two categories: safety and upkeep. Safety For the well-being of you and your family, be sure to add these items to your list:

• Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors checked (monthly)
• Smoke and carbon monoxide batteries changed (every 6 months)
• Fire extinguisher checked (every 12 months)
• Test door and window locks (every 12 months)

Upkeep Many items in your home will stop working properly if you don't practice good maintenance. Some of the most important items to practice maintenance on are:

• Inspect your HVAC filters (every 3 months)
• Clean the drains of your sinks and shower (every month)
• Test seldom used objects like spare bathroom sinks and toilets (every 2 months)
• Clean refrigerator coils and vent (every 6 months)
• Replace water filters in refrigerator, sink, etc. (every 6 months)
• Clean your gutters and drainage system (every 12 months)
• Repair ripped window and door screens (every 12 months)

Seasonal maintenance

If you live in an area that has significant climate changes throughout the seasons, then there are an whole host of maintenance tasks required to prepare for the change of weather. Some common tasks include:

• Turning off outdoor water to avoid frozen pipes
• Replacing door screens with glass
• Cleaning, installing, and uninstalling air conditioners
• Sealing or repaving walkways and driveways
• Cleaning chimneys
• Dusting off heaters
• Inspecting your roof shingles

Creating your calendar

Now that you know what to put in your calendar, its time to decide how you're going to make it. If you carry your smartphone with you everywhere and check it constantly, it might be a good idea to use a good calendar app, preferably one that syncs with your other calendars (work, Facebook, etc.). Google Calendar allows you to categorize calendar events by colors, sync between accounts, and invite others to events (such as when you need your family's help with something on your list). If you're not big on technology, you could always keep a calendar attached to your refrigerator or in a frequented spot in the house that you and your family will remember to check often. Whichever method you choose, the important thing is to find one that works for you so that you don't forget these important items to keep your house, home, and family safe.