Home Maintenance Advice for Single Moms

Being a single mom is hard, working to pay the bills, being there for your kids, and keeping them healthy and happy is quite the task. Some moms have to work two jobs just to make ends meet and on top of that, there is the homework, extracurriculars, sleepovers, kids being sick, and all the other magical things that come with being a parent and raising a family. It is really easy to forget about the responsibilities of homeownership and that is where problems will start to appear.

If you don’t make sure that you are maintaining your home, you are likely to find yourself in a financial emergency because something broke down and it caused a lot of damage. Learning to juggle parenthood with maintaining a home is difficult, but here is how you can make it easier and help yourself and your home be more organized.

Make a Maintenance Checklist

Having a maintenance checklist will help you see everything that needs to be done and help you not forget any important tasks. Because in most cases, single moms will have neither the time nor the knowledge to put together the maintenance list, there are many different ones to be found online that will fit your needs. Look for lists that will prioritize checking the smoke detector and changing its battery, cleaning out the gutters at least once a year, changing the furnace filters, and so on. 

But in addition to things like cleaning your dryer vent every three or so months, roof inspections, lawn care, and other important things, make sure that you add deep cleaning of your home at least twice a year to the list. It is a known fact that keeping your family healthy and happy is hard on its own, but if you mix it with not clearing out your cabinets, scrubbing down the refrigerator on a regular basis as well as other deep-cleaning chores, your home it declines in cleanness and starts to harm your family’s health.

Prioritize Some of the Tasks

Unfortunately, some moms won’t have the time for every little thing on the checklist and that is understandable. That’s why you will have to prioritize some of the maintenance tasks and here are ones that should be done first:

• Change the furnace filters at least every six months 
• Get your water heater flushed at least once a year
• Change furnace filters and have any heating repairs done every six months
• Change the batteries in the alarms every four to six months 
• Clean the dryer vents
• Clean the gutters every six months 

Along with those, you will need to have someone check your roof as well as making sure that your basement doesn’t have any animals, leaks, or other problems. Sealing vulnerable areas, such as the roof and basement, with a waterproof sealant can also help protect against water damage. If you prioritize these, you will have less of a risk of having water damage and your appliances working correctly. The most important thing as a mom is that your home is a safe place to be.

Ask For Some Help

If it is possible, have someone like your friend, family or even a neighbor help you out with these maintenance responsibilities. Someone who is handy will not only be more helpful but they will be more efficient and thorough. If you don’t have anyone handy, have them look after your kids while you are doing maintenance yourself.

Even though most single mothers won’t have the money to put aside to hire a bunch of people to do the maintenance jobs, it might be good to have someone who will do your deep cleaning so you can spend more quality time with your child.

It doesn’t matter how consistent you are with the maintenance; after years and years of wear and tear, things will eventually break and have to be exchanged for something newer.

By Ayla Anderson

Ayla Anderson is an avid reader and an enthusiastic blogger who writes articles on home improvement, business, Family and beauty. She is also an MBA student who spends much of her time giving advice to  new small businesses on how to grow their businesses.