My husband and I used to be organized about home maintenance. We did small projects in a timely manner, budgeted for larger ones, and stayed (mostly) on top of everything. Not anymore — between our jobs, our kiddo, and an insane number of weddings and family events, it's all gone downhill. Faced with an overwhelming number of projects, I can't help but wonder: how do other people keep track of home maintenance projects?
We're well through our list right now, but it's been many, many weeks of work. Some of the projects we knew about and were procrastinating on (replacing a hideous bathroom) but others just cropped up (a minor leak in our roof). They all needed to be done and it hasn't been stress-free or enjoyable.
Now I'm determined to get back to being organized. I'm toying with the idea of assembling my own spreadsheet from Apartment Therapy and Martha Stewart tips. One of my friends swears by her home maintenance binder. Still others just do projects as they arise. How do you plan? Do you even bother? What do you find works best?
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We've got a super high tech list I printed out and hung on the fridge. It simply says: "Get this stuff done before winter!!"
2 days later we get a foot of snow...
Experience as the president of a homeowners' association taught me to make a list of what would need to be repaired our replaced. This included things that were in fine shape but I knew would need attention eventually. A brand-new roof, for example, will need to be replaced in another 20 years or so. I calculated each expense and about when I could expect to have the work done. I turned that into a monthly expense and committed myself to putting that much money aside. A homeowners' association will call this a reserve study, and it makes a lot of sense.
@Heidi - I tried to do that with my insurance, where I figured the monthly savings I'd have to put away to pay the premiums every year. Somehow it never works for me, but it's a damn good idea!
http://brightnest.com/ I just read about this startup. Seems to be exactly what you're looking for. Home maintence reminders.
Uh, we wait till there's a crisis? :-)
We make a list and sit down together once a week or once every two weeks and look at the list together.
Also, we do the best we can but sometimes things are either stressful or no fun. We figured that's life with a toddler under foot and busy lives.
We have weekly "meetings" where my husband and I sit down, look at our "todo" google doc, and drink wine after the baby goes to bed.
And - we are totally spontaneous and do whatever thing is bugging me most :)
Plus, we have a family blog that keeps me in line a bit.
I have a long, long list of things that need to be done (since we moved in). But if you're talking about things like cleaning out the dryer vent and winterizing the hoses... we generally try to keep an eye on things. No system here. Would probably be a good idea, though! If we were more on top of things we'd probably start putting items into our shared google calendar. Anything important tends to end up there.
I tend to just fix things as they arise but once a month, I try to make a list of what major projects I want to accomplish. Sometimes, it's just dusting, which is a major project since I hate it, other times its building more shelves. I also like to save up money for projects that I want to really get done. Like on this one, I spent weeks collecting the crates when I had coupons so I never had to pay full price. http://thefirstapartment.blogspot.com/2011/05/50-dollar-fix-side-bookshelf.html Planning pays off sometimes!
The most frustrating thing for me is having several projects in motion without sufficient time to move them all forward. So, my new rule is ONE PROJECT AT A TIME. I'm not allowed to start something I'm excited about until I finish whatever's I have in progress.
Remember the Milk for repeating tasks (spring and fall cleaning/prep), as well as the monstrously long list of things the house needs, and I don't want to forget about. Ideas that I run across online for when I (eventually) do some remodeling, landscaping, etc. are saved to Evernote.
NYC-area home maintenance company Checklist Home Services can help you keep track of home maintenance tasks, and if you want, we will check those items off your list for you. Would love AT readers' feedback on the interactive home checklist tool we just launched: http://checklisthomeservices.com/
I started this when I was a kid in my parents' home: "If it's not on the list, it doesn't exist!" It was (and still is) my way of saying, "make a list, and we'll work on it."
Our current list includes future things like "New fridge," or, "retaining wall," and a cost estimate of each.
Oh, and if a big task can be broken down into subtasks, those are on there, too.
I use Google calendar and set up recurring items with email reminders (like changing the furnace filter, etc.). I use the Google tasks lists for long and short-term to-dos. I like this because I can access them on work computers, at home and on an iPhone if I had one.
I don't keep track of anything - just do it in a squeaky wheel gets the grease plan of attack. I am not a list person, though.
Liz Picarazzi - where would you like the comments? Should we email you?
Why,...we moved into an apartment of course!!
Try trello.com
It's a set of online to-do lists that are super simple ...
Heather C, please send feedback on the home checklist creator to liz AT checklisthomeservices.com
Thanks!
This article looks at this very topic. http://lifehacker.com/5844978/how-to-stop-neglecting-your-home-and-keep-it-from-turning-into-the-money-pit
I go to the hardware store regularly, and whatever project I remember and buy stuff for is the one that gets worked on.
Next up? Trimming out and painting my brand-new bedroom window. I have the wood and a saw; just need the time.