A home maintenance checklist, month by month to once a year
None of these are urgent until suddenly one is. A home maintenance list is the boring stuff that saves the expensive stuff, and most of it takes five minutes a few times a year.
How it looks in the app. Tick one.
The whole list
Every month
Test the smoke alarms
Press the button on each one. That is all.
Run the washing machine empty and hot
Keeps the drum and seal from smelling.
Clean the dishwasher filter
Cleaner dishes, fewer smells.
Clear the drains
Shower, bath and sinks, before they block.
Every 3 months
Descale the shower head and taps
Better pressure, more often in hard water areas.
Clean the extractor fan filters
Kitchen and bathroom.
Look under the sinks
A small drip found early is a cheap fix.
Check the fire extinguisher
The needle should sit in the green.
Twice a year
Vacuum the fridge coils
It runs cooler and cheaper.
Clean the window and door seals
Dirt in the seals lets the cold in.
Oil the squeaky hinges and locks
Before the front door lock gets stiff.
Clean the vents and air filters
If you have a heat pump or ventilation, check its manual.
Once a year
Service the boiler or heating
Book it before the cold, when engineers have time.
Bleed the radiators
In autumn, if the tops stay cold.
Clear the gutters
After the leaves have fallen.
Turn the main water stop tap
So it still turns when you really need it.
Walk round the outside
Roof, walls, paint and drains. Look, take photos.
Keeping it going
Each comes back a year after you did it
Did the gutters in November instead of October? Next year’s reminder follows when you actually did it.
Write down how
The filter size, the plumber’s number, where the stop tap is. A note on the chore saves the hunt next time.
Out of sight for months
A once-a-year job shouldn’t sit on a list for a year. It stays hidden until it’s due.
Share the house
Everyone who lives there sees the same list, and whoever gets to it ticks it off.
Keep this list in Chores Machine
Add the chores once, say how often, and forget about them. Each one stays out of sight until it is due, then one tap clears it.
No account needed to start.
Free to start, as many lists as you like. Sharing the list with the household is Pro, and one subscription covers everyone in it.