KithfulHousehold maintenance schedule
A household maintenance schedule you’ll actually keep
Most home upkeep is a handful of jobs on a steady rhythm: test the alarms monthly, change the furnace filter every few months, do the big jobs once a year. Here’s a schedule to copy, then how to make it remind you instead of living on a list you forget.
Who it’s for: homeowners and renters who want a simple routine for the jobs that are easy to forget.
Who it isn’t for: anyone after repair how-tos. This is when to do things, not how; your appliance manuals have the specifics.
The schedule
| How often | Jobs |
|---|---|
| Every month | Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms · clean the dishwasher filter · clean the garbage disposal · run a washer cleaning cycle · check the car’s tire pressure |
| Every 3 months | Change the furnace/AC (HVAC) filter (monthly if you have pets or allergies) · clean the range hood filter · dust the ceiling fans · deep-clean the fridge · clean the oven |
| Every 6 months | Clean the gutters (spring and fall) · vacuum the fridge coils · wash the windows · rotate the car’s tires · oil change (or by your car’s mileage) |
| Every year | Replace smoke alarm batteries · flush the water heater · clean the dryer vent duct · deep-clean the carpets · replace wiper blades · renew the car registration |
The ones not to skip
Smoke and CO alarms
Press the test button once a month and replace batteries at least once a year (sealed 10-year alarms don’t need batteries, but the whole alarm is replaced when it expires). It takes two minutes and it’s the job with the most at stake.
The dryer vent
The lint trap catches most lint, not all of it. Once a year, clear the duct that runs from the back of the dryer to the outside. A clogged duct makes drying slow, and it’s a fire risk.
The HVAC filter
A clogged filter makes the system work harder and the air dustier. Every 3 months is a common starting point; check the filter’s box and go more often with pets.
The water heater
Draining a few gallons once a year clears the sediment that builds up at the bottom. Follow your heater’s manual. If you have a gas water heater and ever smell gas, leave the house and call your gas company or 911.
How to make it stick
- Put every job on a repeat, so the next one appears by itself once you mark this one done.
- Count yearly jobs from the day you did them, not from a fixed date, so a late gutter cleaning doesn’t come back next week.
- Spread the start dates. Twenty jobs all due on the same Saturday is how a schedule gets abandoned.
- Give each job an owner. “Someone should clean the gutters” never happens. Kids can take the small ones, like on a chore chart.
Doing it in Kithful
In Kithful, Plan → To-dos → Common household jobs is this schedule as a tick-list. Tick the jobs that apply to your home and each becomes a repeating to-do:
- First due dates are spread over the next few weeks, so they don’t all land at once.
- Monthly and yearly jobs count from the day you mark them done. Weekly ones keep their weekday.
- Assign them to a grown-up, or turn kid-sized ones into chores (see chores by age).
- Set a reminder time and your phone gets a notification when one is due.
- When something breaks, type it into “Something broke?”: Kithful checks your saved warranties for it and gives you a map search for repair help near your ZIP.
What Kithful doesn’t do — honestly
It doesn’t know your equipment. The intervals are common starting points; change any job to match your manuals.
It doesn’t book a pro. “Find help nearby” opens a map search; you call and schedule.
Reminders go to the household’s phones, not only to the person assigned.
What it costs
| Plan | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Every feature, for the whole family. 30 photo/PDF scans a month; typing and pasting a text are unlimited. | $0, forever |
| Plus | Everything in Free, with unlimited scans. One price covers the household. | $39.99/year or $4.99/month |
To-dos, reminders and the household jobs list are all on the free plan.
Questions
What should be on a home maintenance schedule?
Monthly: test smoke and CO alarms and clean the dishwasher filter. Every 3 months: change the HVAC filter. Every 6 months: clean the gutters and vacuum the fridge coils. Yearly: replace smoke alarm batteries, flush the water heater and clean the dryer vent.
How often should I change my HVAC filter?
Every 3 months is a common starting point. Change it monthly with pets, allergies or heavy use, and follow the filter maker’s guidance.
How often should I test smoke detectors?
Once a month with the test button, and replace the batteries at least once a year unless the alarm has a sealed 10-year battery.
How do I remember home maintenance?
Put each job on a repeating reminder that counts from the day you last did it, spread the start dates so they don’t pile up, and give each job an owner. Kithful’s Common household jobs list sets this up in a few taps.
Is there a free app for a household maintenance schedule?
Yes. Kithful’s household jobs list, repeating to-dos and reminders are on its free plan.
Try Kithful
Every feature is free, for the whole family. New households get 14 days of unlimited scans — no card. We’re letting families in a few at a time; leave your email and we’ll send your invite.
Get early accessLast updated 2026-10-02. Kithful isn’t affiliated with the apps named here; their names belong to their owners.