I created a home maintenance calendar so I’d stop forgetting everything

Between work, travel, and a to-do list that already felt too long, small things around the house kept slipping through the cracks. Emergencies struck, and I didn’t have a triage system. Often, the biggest obstacle is that we don’t know where to start. That’s where a home maintenance calendar is a big help.

Why I needed a system

It wasn’t that I didn’t care about home maintenance. I just procrastinated about the little things till something broke. Like many busy professionals, my brain was already juggling work projects, calendar invitations, Slack threads, and life admin tasks. I don’t have time to wonder if it’s gutter-cleaning season.

The real wake-up call came when a slow drip under my kitchen sink turned into minor water damage. Not only did it cost money to fix, but it also cost attention. I realized I needed to manage my home like I manage my work: with systems, not memory.

I built a simple digital system. The tracking and reminders live where I already spend a chunk of my day: my phone and laptop. It took about an hour to set up, and since then, I’ve brain-dumped everything on it.

I am not going to dive into the umpteen home maintenance tips and tricks here. An online search will surface some of the most established names like Bob Villa, The Spruce, One Good Thing, and Apartment Therapy. The tips below are all about a digital reminder system that lets you avoid the least things piling up later.

How I built my home maintenance calendar

I started with the tools I already use daily: Google Calendar and Google Tasks.

Google Calendar became the backbone. I created a new calendar called “Home Maintenance” to keep it separate from my work and personal calendars. Then I blocked out recurring events like (a snapshot):

Each task includes a short description. Some have links to checklists or videos I’ve saved in a notetaking tool for reference. The notes also hold the digital copies of the manuals and guides for the appliances. Choosing Tasks instead of Events allows me to keep the time slots flexible (usually “All day”), so it’s visible but still leaves space for other last-minute chores.

Incomplete tasks automatically roll over to the next day until I manually mark them as complete. You can choose Events, which lets you block out time and set up reminders. Remember to space the tasks out so everything doesn’t clash on the same day.

Google Tasks is where I throw quick, one-off jobs or last-minute reminders like “pick up new bathroom mats” or “schedule kitchen chimney service.” Google’s own task management app is great for adding the little maintenance items that come up in conversation or during seasonal checks. As Tasks and the Calendar are integrated, every task also becomes a Google Calendar entry. It helps to see everything brought together.

I print the Google Calendar with the year’s overview and glue it behind a closet door. That way, it’s always in my face.

Google Calendar and Tasks work for me because they’re free, sync across devices, and I can collaborate with other family members. But if you’re looking for something more structured or visual, here are a few alternatives worth exploring:

• Tody: Manages custom cleaning routines for each room, assigns schedules to household members, and includes educational cleaning guides.
• HomeRoutines: A neat little home cleaning routine app for iOS. It has a bit of gamification in-built that makes it fun.
• Notion: Ideal if you want to combine your home maintenance with other life systems (budget, renovation plans, inventory). Getting started on Notion needs a bit more effort.
• Todoist: Sleek task manager with great recurring task support and cross-platform syncing.

There is an infinite variety of task management apps. Your choice ultimately depends on how much customization and integration you want.

What changed after I set up the home maintenance system

It’s not like I suddenly love flushing my water heater or cleaning window tracks. But I no longer forget to do them. And when I don’t forget, problems don’t build up. Now, I trust that if something needs to be done, it’s already scheduled. I get a ping, I handle it, and I move on.

It makes it easier to delegate home chores, too. If I can’t handle something myself, I know exactly what to ask for when hiring help or assigning a task.

You can start simple, too. You don’t have to build a 50-task mega-calendar on day one.

1. Open Google Calendar and create a new calendar called “Home Maintenance.”
2. Add 3–5 tasks you always forget (e.g., change air filters, test smoke alarms, clean gutters).
3. (Optional) Set each as a recurring event with a reminder. Add links or notes if helpful.
4. Use Google Tasks to catch new one-offs as they pop up.

Let it run in the background. Tweak as you go. The point isn’t perfection. It’s progress on a system as you turn it into a habit.

Don’t bother listing daily tasks that have turned into habits. For instance, watering plants and cleaning the area around them. Or, wiping down kitchen surfaces & appliances.

A system is better than a long list of ad-hoc to-dos. I have found that a system has also helped me tackle these boring but essential tasks without delaying them too much. And surprisingly, I slightly enjoy the feeling of finally staying ahead of the house for once. Most of us aren’t handymen or spreadsheet nerds. So, a calendar and a list are as simple as it gets.