Proper maintenance is essential to boost your home’s value and make it a pleasant place to live in. Keeping it tidy and ensuring all utilities work properly require daily cleaning and monthly and yearly check-ups to ensure everything is in excellent condition. Adhering to a well-planned daily, monthly, and annual routine will lower the risks of malfunctions and avoid additional expenses.
Maintaining your home doesn’t have to be a difficult task. Whether you live in a condo or townhouse unit where the community association takes care of maintenance tasks, it’s still vital that you care for your home. You can do this by regular cleaning, organization, and check-up.
Daily Organization Tips
The most effective way to maintain the cleanliness of your home is by regularly cleaning and decluttering. This will help keep the overall upkeep and reduce clutter in all areas of your home and avoid time-consuming cleaning tasks in the long run. Here are some critical areas that your family should regularly clean.
- Bedroom: Maintain a comfortable sleeping space by regularly making your bed to improve sleep quality, putting dirty clothes in the laundry hamper to avoid having them piled up on the floor, and clearing your nightstands of inessential items to avoid a cluttered space.
- Entryway: This is the first area your guests see, so you must keep this area tidy to make a good first impression. Move items to their designated spots by placing wall hooks and catchall trays to keep things like keys, scarves, and bags organized.
- Kitchen: Kitchens will naturally get dirty every day since it’s the food prep area of the home. Prevent the growth of germs and bacteria by sanitizing utensils, cleaning up spills immediately, and wiping down your appliances and countertops.
- Bathroom: Keep your bathroom clean and sanitized by wiping down your sinks and counters. This will remove any hand soap drips, toothpaste residues, and water spots that leave stubborn stains.
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Monthly Home Cleaning Chores
These home cleaning and organizations tasks only need to be done once a month, so mark your calendars and don’t forget to accomplish these tasks:
- Clean Your Carpet: Remove stains from your carpet fibers by shampooing your carpets monthly, especially if you have pets and kids. Consistently doing this will also extend the life of your carpets and rugs.
- Put Seasonal Items to Storage: Some items don’t always have to be available year-round, such as Halloween costumes and Christmas decorations. Make sure to designate boxes or storage areas for these items to avoid unnecessary clutter.
- Deep Clean Your Refrigerator: Wiping down your fridge is important, but some leaks and spills usually go unnoticed. Clean the inside using a solution made up of baking soda and hot water to prevent damp areas, mold growth, and foul odors.
- Clean Your Washing Machine: Cleaning your washing machine once a month will remove any dirt and grime left from the laundry. There are many products available that are specifically intended for washers. Still, you can also try a DIY cleaning solution made up of equal parts vinegar and water.
Yearly Maintenance Tasks
Annual maintenance and repair projects can help you save more on repairs and replacements and extend your appliances’ life. Here are some routine maintenance tips for maintaining the efficiency of your home utilities:
- Clean Your Gutters: Prevent your gutters from getting clogged by cleaning them annually, or depending on how many trees are there around your home. Also, practice early detection by checking for any damage that can affect your roof, foundation, siding, and the flow of rainwater.
- Check Your Plumbing: Check all pipes for any signs of leaks, as well as the ceilings for water stains. Check your faucets and the toilet for drips or clogs to ensure they are not worn out. If there are problems in these areas, remember to turn off the water main and call a plumber.
- Inspect Trees Near Your Property: If there are trees around your home, have a professional check them for any signs of disease or dead branches that can pose a safety hazard to your home. If you own a tree in your yard, make sure to keep it healthy, as well-cared-for trees usually don’t lose limbs, snap, and house termites.
Just like a consistent health check-up routine, keeping a home maintenance schedule is essential for your house’s upkeep. Revisit this checklist to avoid any problems in your plumbing, appliances, home exterior, and more. This will help you detect issues immediately, save more money, and keep your house looking its best.