Keeping on Top of Home MaintenanceHome maintenance is the never ending battle of homeownership. Somedays you're winning, feeling caught up or ahead of the game, and ready to soak up some couch time. Then, without notice, you can't do anything right. You're breaking toilets, losing tools, and the house just seems to be falling apart around you. Stress is high and you're trying not to snap at the family.

I should know as my experience runs deep and the struggle to repair, replace, and fix a previous owner's care, or lack thereof, is never ending. At times the tasks are hard and sometimes they're easy yet the whole ordeal is overwhelming.

Even though many times we talk about home maintenance from a getting ready to sell perspective, that is not always the case.

Here are 10 reasons why it's beneficial to stay current on home maintenance whether you're living in the property long-term or not.

 

  1. Regular maintenance keeps unexpected problems manageable.
  2. You will enjoy the upgrades and not see/use them only to sell.
  3. You will get to enjoy the quality of craftsmanship.
  4. Increased quality create a feeling of pride of ownership.
  5. The house isn't deteriorating around you and is easy to live in.
  6. Project costs tend to be lower due to less repair needed in each project.
  7. A homeowner will gain knowledge of how the home's systems work and function.
  8. A homeowner will build a database of reputable and trusted companies.
  9. Gain a lot of peace-of-mind knowing the home is in great working order.
  10. Regular home maintenance protects the one's you care about and that investment.

 

Those are 10 reasons to stay on top of home maintenance yet it should be noted, its very hard.

Lots of times, it feels like you can't get ahead and the list is never ending. Yet, stay dedicated. I try and do a least 1 big project a summer and fill in with some smaller outside projects: deck and siding repair, paint and wood rot, landscaping and flowerbed maintenance. In the Fall and Winter months I try to tackle the more common, interior maintenance: plumbing and toilets, electrical switches and light bulbs, furnace and UV filters.

Also, not everyone is handy or has the skill set for all household jobs. Personally, I don't attempt home electrical because its scary. Yet, some friends are really good at household electrical.

Just as important as maintenance is not every project has to be done immediately. While showing homes I see the homeowner who has many projects in process at the same time and nothing ever gets finished. Even one of my clients admitted he is 80% so when selling his place we had conversations about focusing on one thing at a time. Just one. That mindset also helps reduce anxiety about how much needs to get done.

Hope that helps with the home maintenance and good luck with those projects.