Preventative Maintenance Saves You Time AND Money!

What is preventative maintenance? Simply put, it is maintenance performed on a regular basis to reduce the likelihood of failure. This is unarguably my FAVORITE tip of all.

We work hard for our money. The last thing I want is for any item we purchase, no matter how big or small, to not last as long as it should. So.. what are some examples of preventative maintenance and how can they save you money and time? Let's take a peek...

You do a $35 oil change every 3,000 miles on your vehicle. It keeps the engine performing at it's best, lubricating the engine as it should

OR...

You just keep going until there is no oil left in the engine and it seizes up. A whole new $5,000 motor is needed because you did not maintain the vehicle.

You spend $15 every 3 months to change out your home ac filter

OR...

You never change it out and so much dust accumulates on it, the ac cannot breath, dust particles begin to clog each part of the unit in turn costing you MORE on your heating & cooling bill because the unit is not able to perform at it's optimal capacity AND running the potential risk of furnace failure that would cost on average $8,000 to replace. On top of that, the air quality would be less than poor which can lead to serious health risks and doctor's visits and medical bills are not cost effective to our wallet.

After every load of laundry, you clean out the lint trap in the dryer and every year, you clean out the vent hose running from the back of the dryer to outside the house

OR...

You never clean either and not only will your dryer underperform leading to higher power bills, but you put yourself at high risk for a house fire. I'm not even going to throw a number out there on that one because house costs vary and majority of the items inside are irreplaceable.

You clean and dust the coils on the backside of your fridge so it can breath properly and run effectively... You flush your water heater yearly to eliminate sediment buildup... You brush your teeth daily to avoid cavities... I think you catch my drift here.

Preventative maintenance can be implemented in many aspects of our life. I know very well how busy life can be and although at times these tasks may seem daunting, keep in mind how daunting the affect of not maintaining can be.

To assist myself in remembering my important preventative maintenance routine, which I base of of what and when it should be done, I made a spreadsheet that I have hanging on our fridge below the monthly dry-erase calendar. I check off each one after completing each task and this makes it SO much easier to remember!! I often find myself adding to the list. I don't look at it as "more to do" list but a "more I can save" list! Below is my updated checklist for the upcoming year. If you would like this editable spreadsheet emailed to you or have any ideas as to what you would add to yours, send me an email at thisorganiclove@gmail.com!

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