Since we are almost in January, I wanted to share with you the things I focus on when entering the new year. We always focus on personal goals in January but one thing I always focus on is my Home maintenance Checklist. Ensuring our home is ready to welcome the New Year, helps me keep my goals in line.
January Home Maintenance Checklist
I love a well-organized home and this home maintenance checklist helps keep it that way. I rarely have things out of place and I strive for minimal junk drawers, but let’s be real, throughout the year, we all tend to leave things lying around “thinking” we’ll come back to them (not always the truth).
In January, I really focus on decluttering and ensuring all the proper maintenance is being done around the house. Here is my Home Maintenance Checklist!
Clear Out Outdated Paperwork
This is one of my least favorites to do, and often times I send this task over to my husband. He goes through all our files and loose mail and discards the ones we no longer need. I would also recommend shredding documents that have personal information.
Clean Out and Organize Closets
This seems like a no-brainer but it actually can be one of those tasks that we put off month after month. When I say clean-out closets, I don’t just mean yours. I mean the linen closets, spare closets, closets where you store extra decor. Go through all of them and discard what you no longer use.
Clean out & Organize Junk Drawers
Junk drawers add up after a year of simply living in our homes. I had ended the year with three junk drawers, that’s way too many for our family. What I like to do is consolidate all the items. Typically our junk drawers consist of knick-knacks and a ton of pens. All the things we’ve forgotten about, frankly end up in the garbage. I recommend doing the same, if you haven’t used it in over 6 months, chances are you’re not going to use it or need it again. That’s my rule.
Clean Out Appliances
When I say clean out your appliances I mean run a wash cycle. I like to buy these tablets for my dishwasher and these tablets for my washing machine. I typically run a clean cycle every quarter but you can do it every 6 months if that fits your lifestyle.
Along with running a clean cycle in your dishwasher, do not forget to take out the filter at the bottom and to scrub between the door and bottom of the dishwasher- trust me you’ll thank me later!
Go through Storage areas and clear out things that we no longer use
This is the most tedious task. I hate going down to our basement and going through storage, but it has to get done. I like to go through the items that I’ve stored but again, have forgotten. I recommend throwing away old decor that is on its last life, if it’s being held together by tape or twine, it’s time to let it go. Make space for the new.
Clean out Unused Toys
If you’re done growing your family, this is a perfect time to go through old toys that your youngest has outgrown. I would recommend donating them to goodwill. Our family is complete with my 2 boys, so I go through my boys toys and get rid of the toys that they’ve outgrown. I donate them to an orphanage in Mexico.
Organize Kitchen Drawers
Not sure why but this was my favorite. Separate your personal Tupperware and the ones you give your family members for takeaway. I have a separate cabinet with Tupperware that I’m never getting back. I also recommend storing them with the lids, it’s much easier.
Walk the Home for Touch-Ups or Leaks
In January my husband and I walk our home to see if there are any repairs needed throughout our home. We check for nail pops, paint chippings, door creeks, paint touch-ups, vent cleaning, HVAC, and irrigation tune-ups. This includes the exterior as well. Schedule your services first thing in the new year to avoid surcharges.
Along with walking the home make sure to change air and water filters. Our fridge reminds us when to change out our water filter. Our air filters, we keep a reminder on our phone for every 3 months.
We plan these out as far in advance as possible. This Spring we will be getting our windows cleaned interior and exterior, as well as our entire home pressure washed.
I think that owning a home comes with so much more than just cleaning the interior. You also have to keep up with making sure all the bones are working properly and making sure they don’t break. This Home Maintenance Checklist is what I follow annually and in the 6 years we’ve owned our home, we have yet to encounter any major issues with our home.
If you want to see my essentials to keep my home organized, check out my last post here.
