Preparing your Homeowner Documentation
Do you ever find yourself in the situation in which you can't locate the manual for the TV? Or leaf blower? What about that 3-year maintenance plan you purchased along with your kitchen appliance? Or the warranty for your replacement windows?
The best way to maintain a sense of order with your home projects and product purchases is to make a filing system that is easy to create and simple to maintain.
Start by labeling a file folder for each room in the house, no matter how small the room may be. This includes bathrooms! Review the contents of each room and put all manuals and maintenance information for that specific room in the folder. This includes documentation and receipts for everything--lamps, furniture, electronics, artwork, smoke detectors. Do a quick review of any updates that have been done in each room and make notes on the inside of the folder cover. This could include the year you replaced the windows or refinished the floors, the name of the service provider you used, the paint color codes for the ceiling and walls. - You may want a separate file for each major system of the home including heating, plumbing, electrical. Also consider the exterior areas such as the roof, shed, patio, and landscaping projects.
- Use a pegboard in your garage to hang up all of the manuals for your power tools, lawn/garden equipment, and sporting goods that are stored there. Most manuals fit into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and are easy to pop onto a hook. Then your information will never be far from reach when you need it the most.
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