Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
A Homeowner Journal can be the authoritative go-to source of information about your home when you need it most. When something isn’t working, and you need to know how to fix it quickly, you will want to find that operations manual without spending a great deal of time looking for it somewhere in your house or garage. When you need the exact paint color and sheen to touch up a room, it saves you the time and frustration of trying to match it. Recording maintenance dates and service contractors, as well as the costs themselves, helps keep things in shape before it’s too late and a repair job becomes a major renovation. Learn how to create and keep a Homeowner Journal that will serve you well for as long as you own your home.
WHAT IS A HOMEOWNER JOURNAL?
In short, a Homeowner Journal is simply a place to store and organize all pertinent information relating to your home, such as:
- Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC equipment & maintenance visits
- Appliance manuals and warranties
- Builder warranties
- Pool/hot tub instructions & maintenance schedule
- Paint colors, brands, and sheen
- Improvements and repairs made to the home since your purchase
- Garage door opener codes and/or instructions
- Extra keys
- Alarm codes and/or instructions
- HOA documents & information
- Digital products (televisions, computers, printers, visual and audio components, etc.)
WHY DO I NEED A HOMEOWNER JOURNAL?
A lot of this information is self-explanatory, but here are a few reasons why a homeowner journal is a good thing to have:
- It helps you keep track of all documents, so you’re not fumbling around looking for something when you need it most!
- Should something go wrong, your receipts, maintenance records, and any warranties may save you a lot of time and money.
- When it’s time to sell, it serves as a log and a reminder of any home improvements and repairs and will also impress potential buyers. This translates directly to the money you’ve put into your home over time – something that comes in handy when you’re looking to sell the home because it helps justify the initial listing price along with the CMA.
HOW DO I CREATE A HOMEOWNER JOURNAL?
There are two ways to create and maintain a Homeowner Journal: Manual and Digital.
MANUAL
If you’re not computer savvy and unfamiliar with scanning documents, a three-inch-thick three-ring binder with some dividers with pockets and tabs should suffice. You may wish to add a small 3-hole notebook to document maintenance visits and other items as well.
Or, if you prefer to order a pre-formatted book, you can purchase and use any one of these to organize and track your records:
5-year Home Maintenance Log Book
Deluxe Home Maintenance Log Book
DIGITAL
Organize ownership and maintenance records digitally by creating folders on your computer. Then, scan or take a photo of any pertinent information and add it to the folders created with the same categories as with the manual binder method.
If you can find the manuals online, copy the URL or save the PDF. Here is a Manuals Online website where you may find many of the manuals for home items.
Regardless of the method, some suggested categories for manual tabs or digital folders include Appliances, HVAC, Plumbing & Water, Paint, Codes, Warranties, Improvements, and Electronics.
WHAT SHOULD I PUT IN A HOMEOWNER JOURNAL
- Receipts
- Warranties
- Owner Manuals
- Codes & Extra Keys
- Maintenance Records, including date, materials used, and associated costs
- Service Contractor Information for each maintenance visit
- Indoor & Outdoor paint colors & brands
- HOA Documents, covenants, conditions & restrictions (CC&Rs), assessments, and dues
In summary, anything that relates to the ongoing maintenance and improvements of your home is fair game for keeping in your new Homeowner Journal. Regardless of which method you use to track and organize your Homeowner Journal, you should start it as soon as possible! You’ll be much happier going forward, more relieved when unexpected home events take place, and more prepared for the future as you spend more time in your home.