The transition of a home from one owner to the next is not always smooth. After moving in, new owners frequently become frustrated about two items: the lack of household manuals and not knowing whom to call for service in case of a problem. A lucky new owner might find bits and pieces of useful information in a kitchen drawer. However, more often than not, important household information has been thrown out, or the seller can't remember where any of the helpful documents are located. Perhaps things got packed that shouldn't, or information is just so scattered that a seller doesn't realize its potential importance to a new buyer.
Wouldn't you want to receive all the home's manuals and miscellaneous information? Wouldn't it be helpful to know the names and numbers of service people who are familiar with the home? So how do you keep track of all the manuals, receipts, warranties, paint colors, etc., so you can find what you need about your home with little effort?
Here is how we solved the disorganization problem.
Our "Ramsey Filing" system allows us to locate important information quickly and easily. The system is not difficult to create or maintain.
First, label specific files by room where the items go: kitchen, office, garage, furnace room, laundry, etc. Don't forget to include the crawl space (if used for storage). Also make files for the outside (garden, lawn, sheds) and each level inside the home to use for miscellaneous items that are not specific to another room. Make yet another general folder for information on the roof, siding and paint colors.
Then with each new purchase, slip the manual, receipt and other paperwork into the appropriate folder representing the location where the item is kept.
Three other tips before you put a manual in a file:
1. Note the serial number, model number, type of payment (credit or check) and date of purchase on the front. The front of the product manual is also a good place to mark the date, time and name/number of any local service provider you've used for maintenance and repair.
2. Also locate and mark the company's customer service or help number so you can locate it quickly in an emergency.
3. For thicker manuals, and to save space, remove the international translations. You might have to re-staple the pages but it dramatically decreases the size of the document.
If you are technically inclined and if you have an all-in-one printer, you have the ability to scan everything to computer folders with the same process. Product manuals are usually easily accessible online and can be added. This will prevent a frantic online search in the middle of an emergency. Write the serial and model numbers on the front of the receipts before scanning. Item names and purchase dates can be part of the scanned document names within the appropriate location file.
Next, make a list of all local service providers and phone numbers (plumber, heating repair, roofer, electrician, painter, handyman, window washer, housekeepers, etc.) You can also include neighborhood information such as teens who cut grass, clear the driveway, or do babysitting, along with names and numbers of helpful neighbors.
While the process is basically simple, we have a final recommendation after everything is set up: Appoint one person to be the "keeper of the files" for filing, updating with new information, and removing old information.
With the beginning of the new year just a few weeks away, now would be a good time to start the process. This will also give you an opportunity to throw away manuals and information on items you no longer have. That way if you wake up in the middle of the night to a chilly home, you know what to do. Within a few minutes you could have the furnace manual in your hand, plus the name and number of the service repairman to call if you can't get it working again.
Barbara and Clair Ramsey are local associate brokers specializing in residential real estate. Their column appears every month in Alaska Dispatch News. Their e-mail address info@ramseyteam.com.