Whether it's your first time buying or you're a seasoned homeowner, moving into a new house is always a little chaotic. It's easy to lose track of projects and priorities. After all, a house is likely the biggest purchase of your life. But rather than giving in to the stress, a methodical plan of action can smooth your transition into your new home.
For any homeowner, there are a few rules, reminders, and schedules worth remembering to keep your house in good condition. Below, we'll walk you through the essentials, broken out by monthly, seasonal, and yearly tasks, so you always know what to tackle and when.
First, organization is key.
1. Make a Homeowner's Binder
The mountain of paperwork involved in a home purchase (contracts, warranties, expenses, and more) can feel endless. To avoid losing important documents, keep them all in one binder. This will also come in handy when you're collecting contact information for local contractors you may need for paint, carpeting, construction, or other work around the house.
2. Pace Your Projects
If you're moving into a new home, avoid starting any large or unnecessary projects until you've lived there for a few months. If there are safety issues or other pressing problems, address them right away.
But kicking off a major renovation before you've settled in could prove regrettable since your perspective on certain features often shifts once you've actually lived with them. That must-have addition or bold bathroom tile may not seem so appealing a few months in. You can save a lot of money, time, and hassle by holding off on major changes until you're settled.
3. Create a Home Maintenance Checklist
With everything else on your plate, maintaining a routine cleaning and upkeep schedule can work wonders for your peace of mind. In the first few months after you move in, you'll likely be tempted to tackle small tasks room by room to get everything looking just right. But it's easy to burn yourself out chasing an endless list of little jobs.
To help, we've broken down the essential home maintenance and cleaning tasks below by frequency: monthly, seasonal, and yearly. This list covers the essentials — there are hundreds of other smaller cleaning jobs you could add over time, but starting with a solid routine makes everything else easier to manage.
Monthly Homeowners Checklist
- Kitchen sink and garbage disposal: Pipes under your kitchen sink face a daily barrage of greasy, fatty food bits that solidify as they cool. Homes with newer PVC or copper plumbing handle this better than older homes with narrower iron pipes, which can clog more easily. Here's how to clean a garbage disposal.
- Range hood filters: The range hood filters airborne grease, oil, fumes, and smoke while you cook. Without regular cleaning, it clogs with greasy residue and loses effectiveness. Here's how to clean a range hood filter.
- Toilets: Nobody loves this chore, but disinfecting your toilet regularly is key to preventing the spread of bacteria and illness-causing pathogens, especially with kids, sickness, or potty training in the house. Here's how to clean and disinfect a toilet.
- Ceiling fans: The more your fans run, the more dust they collect, which can lead to noisy operation and eventual motor damage. Dust mites, which are the most common household allergen, also build up on dirty blades and get blown around the room when the fan runs. Here's how to clean a ceiling fan.
- Baseboards: Carpets, furniture, and walls get most of the cleaning attention, but baseboards quietly accumulate dirt, grime, and scuff marks that diminish your home's overall look. Here's how to clean baseboards.
- Blinds: Window blinds are often overlooked, but a little routine cleaning keeps them looking great for years. Dust, dirt, dead skin cells, and pet fur can build into a sticky residue if left too long. Plus, the wrong technique or cleaner can make things worse. Here's how to clean blinds.
- Bathtub: A relaxing soak isn't so relaxing in a tub coated with soap scum and hard water spots. Ignoring a dirty tub only makes it harder to clean later. Here's how to clean a bathtub.
- Painted walls: Scuffs, fingerprints, and marks are unappealing and can diminish the look of any room. Keep walls clean with a non-abrasive solution that won't discolor or damage the paint. Here's how to clean painted walls.
Seasonal (Quarterly) Homeowners Checklist
- Carpets: Kids, pets, and everyday foot traffic leave behind dirt that builds up over time. Sometimes a spot clean is enough; other times, a deeper clean is needed to bring your carpet back to life. Here's how to clean carpets.
- Garbage can: Your outdoor garbage can doesn't take up space inside, but it still needs attention. If you're holding your breath every time you toss in a bag, it's time for a deep clean. Here's how to clean a garbage can.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors: Press the "test" button on each detector once a season. Replace batteries as needed and clean out any corrosion in the battery compartment.
- Refrigerator: Your fridge works hard to keep food and drinks cold, and it shows: spills, odors, overcrowding inside, and sticky fingerprints outside. Since it stores your food, keeping it clean helps protect your family's health. Here's how to clean a refrigerator.
- Dishwasher: Soap scum and forgotten food particles build up over time, creating a breeding ground for germs and reducing efficiency. Here's how to clean a dishwasher.
- HVAC systems: Inspect your HVAC filter every 2–3 months and replace it if needed.
- Water heater pressure relief valve: Test this valve at least once a quarter to help prevent mineral and corrosion buildup, leaks, and inefficient operation.
- A/C coils: Like any machine, your air conditioner needs basic cleaning and maintenance to keep running well, especially in warmer climates. Here's how to clean A/C coils.
- Tile grout: Grout is delicate and porous, so harsh chemicals like vinegar, bleach, or ammonia, or even hard-bristled brushes, can do more harm than good. Here's how to clean grout the right way.
Yearly Homeowners Checklist
Spring
- Garage door: Cleaning your garage door's exterior at least once a year keeps it looking sharp and extends its lifespan. Pollen, bird and insect droppings, and spider webs build up over time. Here's how to clean garage doors.
- Roofing and shingles: Inspect your roof for loose or damaged shingles and replace as needed.
- Gutters: Clogged gutters can send water toward your roof, fascia boards, and even your foundation or basement. Here's how to clean gutters.
- Deck: Decks face mold, mildew, sap, grease, food spills, pet stains, and ground-in dirt regardless of material. An oxygenated cleaner works best to reach both the surface and the layers beneath. Here's how to clean a deck.
Summer
- Inspect plumbing: Catching leaks, cracks, or other issues early can save you from costly repairs down the line.
- Inspect the crawlspace: Rot, mold, or standing water are signs of a bigger problem. Bring in a professional for a full assessment if you spot any.
- Check for insects: Look for termites, carpenter ants, or other pests that could damage your home's structure.
Fall
- Check weatherstripping: Inspect the seals around doors and windows, and fix or replace as needed.
- Gutters: Clear them again before winter, especially if you have a lot of trees nearby, and after major storms. Here's how to clean gutters.
- Winterize your A/C system: Disconnect power, clean thoroughly, and cover the unit if it can't be removed for the season.
Winter
- Flush your water heater: This way, buildup won't block or clog the pressure and relief valve (which helps keep your water heater from exploding).
- Check caulking: Inspect around showers and bathtubs.
- Shut off outdoor water valves: This helps prevent frozen and burst pipes during cold snaps.
New Home? Simple Green Does the Job Right
A good schedule is only half the equation. With the right cleaner, each task is faster and more effective. Simple Green's all-purpose cleaners cut through grease and grime on baseboards, blinds, painted walls, and range hood filters without harsh fumes or residue, so you can check off your list and get back to enjoying your new home.
Settling into a new house takes time, but a little consistency now saves you from bigger headaches later. Bookmark this checklist, work through it at your own pace, and your home will stay in great shape for years to come.
