If you’re the main person in your home who’s become the unofficial home manager, you know where everything is, but do others living in your home know as well?
For example, you may know when the HVAC needs servicing, where the water shutoff valve is, or what household tasks need to be done and when.
And that’s perfectly normal.
The problem is that your spouse or others living in the home with you may not be aware of any of it.
If you’re the only one managing the home, that’s not uncommon, and there’s nothing wrong with it. But the issue is when all of that knowledge exists only in your head.
What happens if you’re stuck in the hospital for a week? Or you leave on a business trip, and a monthly home maintenance issue needs to be taken care of?
Sure, you could leave notes, or even FaceTime them to explain what needs to be done, but wouldn’t it be far easier and simpler for everyone in your home to know the details in the event you’re not there to handle them?
In other words, you shouldn’t have to be available by phone to answer every question.
Now the goal of everyone knowing how to care for your home isn’t independence from each other; it’s simply shared knowledge.
What Does the “Home Manager” Actually Know?
When you think about it, there are a lot of considerations involved with managing a home.
There are home systems, such as HVAC, plumbing, water heater, smart-home systems, etc. Also, consider appliance information: purchase dates, model number, warranties, service history, etc.
And then you’ve got routine (and occasional) cleaning tasks.
Everyone should know:
- ⬥ What has been done
- ⬥ What still needs to be done
- ⬥ When recurring maintenance is due
- ⬥ Which tasks require professionals
And then of course there’s contact information for professionals such as your plumber, electrician, landscaper, etc.
And finally, everyone needs to know where your home documents are kept, including mortgage information, property taxes, utility bills, receipts, warranties, insurance, manuals, permits, etc.
If you’re caring for the home, you’ve probably got a lot of this information memorized, but does your spouse know any of this? Or do they know where to find the information when you’re not there?
Start With a Home Inventory
Before you can share information, you need to know what you have.
Create a home inventory that includes:
- ⬥ Furniture
- ⬥ Electronics
- ⬥ Appliances
- ⬥ Tools
- ⬥ Outdoor equipment
- ⬥ Collectibles
- ⬥ Valuable possessions
- ⬥ Important personal property
For each item, consider recording:
- ⬥ What it is
- ⬥ Where it is
- ⬥ Purchase date
- ⬥ Purchase price
- ⬥ Current value, if relevant
- ⬥ Serial number
- ⬥ Warranty information
- ⬥ Receipts
- ⬥ Photos
You’re not just documenting possessions for insurance purposes. You’re building a resource that gives both you and your spouse a shared understanding of what the household owns.
Identify the “Where Is That?” Information
Quiz your spouse and ask them:
“If something went wrong right now, would you know where to find it?”
Then run through the house.
Can they find:
- ⬥ Main water shutoff?
- ⬥ Electrical panel?
- ⬥ Gas shutoff?
- ⬥ HVAC filter?
- ⬥ Water heater?
- ⬥ Fire extinguishers?
- ⬥ Smoke detectors?
- ⬥ Security system information?
- ⬥ Circuit breakers?
- ⬥ Internet equipment?
- ⬥ Important documents?
You can even do a 15-minute home tour together, showing them where everything is (if they don’t already know).
Create a List of Important Contacts
Your spouse shouldn’t have to Google “plumber near me” during a plumbing emergency if you already have a trusted plumber.
Create a centralized contact list for:
- ⬥ Plumber
- ⬥ Electrician
- ⬥ HVAC contractor
- ⬥ Roofer
- ⬥ Appliance repair
- ⬥ Pest control
- ⬥ Locksmith
- ⬥ Handyman
- ⬥ Landscaper
- ⬥ Insurance agent
- ⬥ Property manager, if applicable
Include:
- ⬥ Company name
- ⬥ Contact person
- ⬥ Phone number
- ⬥ Website
- ⬥ What work they performed
- ⬥ Date of last service
Document Your Home’s Maintenance History
When did you replace the furnace? What about the gutters…when were they last cleaned? And when was the roof last replaced?
You may know in your head, but that information becomes much more useful when it’s documented.
This also makes future home maintenance easier for both of you.
Put Important Documents in One Place
Don’t guess where the information is…keep it centrally located and return it to where it was when you’re done accessing it. And more importantly, make sure your spouse knows where they’re at as well.
Don’t Forget the Everyday Details
Some of the most useful information isn’t official documentation.
It’s the little things one spouse simply knows.
For example:
- ⬥ Which trash day is which?
- ⬥ When does the lawn service come?
- ⬥ Which company handles the internet?
- ⬥ What’s the Wi-Fi information?
- ⬥ Where are extra HVAC filters?
- ⬥ Who has the garage door opener?
- ⬥ When is the septic tank serviced?
- ⬥ Which key opens the shed?
- ⬥ Where are the spare batteries?
- ⬥ What does that mysterious switch in the basement control?
These details may seem insignificant until the person who normally knows them isn’t available.
Make It a Shared Home Management System
At this point, transition from “tell your spouse what you know” to “build a system you both use.”
Instead of having one person act as the home’s librarian, create a shared system.
The system should make it easy for either spouse to answer:
- ⬥ What do we own?
- ⬥ Where is it?
- ⬥ When was it purchased?
- ⬥ When was it last maintained?
- ⬥ Who services it?
- ⬥ What does it cost?
- ⬥ When does it need attention again?
- ⬥ Where are the documents?
That’s the real goal: turning individual knowledge into household knowledge.
Keep the Information Updated
A home information system is only useful if it stays current. Create a habit of adding information to your system.
For example, if you’ve made a major purchase, add it to your inventory, to your cleaning and maintenance schedule, and add any documentation to the file, folder, or digital notebook as soon as possible.
Hire a new contractor? Add it to your system.
Renew your insurance policy?
Update the information to ensure that it is current.
This turns documentation into an ongoing habit rather than a giant project you only do once.
The Real Benefit: Peace of Mind for Both of You
Documenting your home maintenance information isn’t about expecting something bad to happen.
It’s about making homeownership easier.
When both spouses understand the home:
- ⬥ Either person can handle a maintenance issue.
- ⬥ Either person can talk to a contractor.
- ⬥ Either person can locate important documents.
- ⬥ Either person can make informed decisions.
- ⬥ Neither person has to carry all the responsibility.
And there’s a deeper benefit:
You become partners in caring for your home rather than having one person manage it, and the other simply live in it.
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