Household Maintenance Procedures to Simplify Your Tomorrow: A Guide to a Hassle-Free Future
Sprucing Up Your Home: Tips for Future-Proofing Your Living Space
Let's face it, maintaining a home can sometimes feel like a never-ending task. But preparing today for the maintenance of tomorrow can make your future self significantly happier. Here are some straightforward tips to help you prepare your home for future upkeep and reduce stress down the line.
Capture Paint Colors
When embarking on a paint project, take snaps of the can's mixing formula on the label and store them in a home improvement folder. In the future, this information will save you from re-creating the paint color from memory, eliminating the likelihood of a mismatch. Alternatively, you can peel off the label and store it in your creative notebook.
Store Spare Materials
Whenever you complete projects like re-tiling the shower, re-siding the house, or laying down new flooring, always keep some leftover materials. Having extras on hand will make it a breeze when the time comes to patch up sections years later. Remember, tiles and flooring are discontinued all the time, and the batches can have color or grain inconsistencies even if the specific style is still being manufactured.
Learn from Contractors
Professionals hired for home maintenance and renovation tasks are undeniably knowledgeable sources. Instead of vanishing to the pub while they work, pay attention and ask a few questions to make your future self's life easier:
- Material breakdown: Knowing the specific materials used will make it easier to replace or repair them in the future. Remember, don't forget to reserve the leftover materials – you’ve already paid for them.
- Installation methods: Learning the techniques contractors use to install various systems can be incredibly helpful in maintaining finishes and keeping them working correctly.
Document Dates
Home maintenance can be a whirlwind of constant effort, making it easy to forget when certain tasks were completed. Keeping a record of installation, repair, and replacement dates will be valuable for your future self. Everything in your home has a lifespan and recommended maintenance schedule, so knowing when your boiler, HVAC, or roof was installed, how long your basement has been leak-free, or the last time you updated your smoke alarms will be invaluable information.
Label Your Fasteners
Amassing leftover screws, bolts, and Allen wrenches is a common side effect of homeownership. To prevent wasting time searching for the correct fasteners in the future, label them carefully today. Every time you put furniture together or install shelves, put any leftover fasteners in storage and label them clearly. This technique will save you from sifting through piles of mislabeled screws and wrenches when the need arises.
Preserve Product Manuals
Most products sold for home use come with product manuals, and it may seem unnecessary to keep them. However, retaining the manuals physically or digitally will provide essential information for repair, replacement, or troubleshooting, including specific sizes of fasteners, wall anchors, and other parts you may need someday. Additionally, manuals often contain other helpful information, such as weight limits or tolerances.
Keep Visual Records
Snapshot unique items like air filters or distinctive light bulbs and keep the photos on your phone. This will allow you to quickly identify the exact replacements you need when the time comes to purchase more supplies.
Map Out Electric Circuits
The frustration of not knowing which circuit powers a specific appliance or area of your home can be overwhelming when you need to cut the power. To avoid this hassle, spend a half hour mapping your breaker panel and labeling each circuit neatly. When the time comes to cut the power to an appliance or section, you'll be able to do so with ease.
Stock Spare Keys
Having extra keys stashed in trusted places around your neighborhood will be deeply appreciated by your future self. In case of emergencies, you'll be able to enter your home without causing any damage or delay.
Find Trusted Contractors Ahead of Time
Searching for plumbers, electricians, exterminators, or roofers in the midst of an urgent problem is a recipe for stress. Start requesting recommendations now from friends, neighbors, and online reviews. Create a master file of contractor information, including specific projects they've worked on, to assist you when emergencies arise.
By implementing these tips, you'll save yourself time, money, and frustration in the long run. Additionally, routinely checking on your home's maintenance areas, such as the roof, gutters, HVAC, fireplace, lawn, and safety devices, will help maintain the longevity of your home and minimize the risk of unexpected repair issues in the future. Remember, a well-maintained home is a happy home.
- To prevent reproducing paint colors in the future, capture images of paint can labels when you start a project and store them in a home-improvement folder.
- Keep some leftover materials from home projects like re-tiling the shower or laying down new flooring for easy patch-up work later, as discontinued products can have inconsistencies.
- Learn from contractors during maintenance and renovation tasks by asking about material compositions and installation methods; ensure you save any leftover materials for future use.
- Document dates of installation, repair, and replacement for your home's maintenance, appliances, and safety devices, as this information is crucial for determining lifespans and scheduled future maintenance.
- Label fasteners like screws, bolts, and Allen wrenches to save time retrieving them in the future, especially when assembling furniture or installing shelves. Furthermore, keep product manuals, store visual records of unique items, and map out electric circuits for easy access to repair and replacement information.
