How to Manage Your Home Repair List: Tackle Maintenance Without the Stres
Owning a house often feels like managing a never-ending cycle of maintenance. From a sticking door to a loose towel bar, it is incredibly easy to make a home repair list of things that need fixing. However, the real challenge isn't just writing the list—it's taking the action required to move those projects from your head to completion.
In this guide, we’ll look at how to organize your home repairs, why fixing small annoyances frees up "brain space," and how to use micro-prompts to finally cross items off your list.
Why a Home Repair List Reduces Mental Load
Sometimes a minor issue in your home like a crack in a baseboard or a crooked picture is just annoying enough to ignore, but it still drains your energy. These "small" things multiply and take up valuable cognitive space.
I’ve found that when a project on my home repair list is finally fixed, I can refocus my energy on my family and my work. When things are left undone, they linger in the back of the mind and drive us nuts. Taking action is the first step to clearing your mental to-do list and reclaiming your peace of mind.
Strategies for Organizing Your Home Maintenance
When you look at a long home repair list, it can feel overwhelming. To make progress, try categorizing your tasks to make hiring help or DIYing more efficient:
By Room: Tackle everything in the kitchen, then move to the bathroom.
By Project Type: Group all "hanging" tasks (drapes, pictures) or all "structural" tasks (drywall, trim).
By Contractor Type: Group tasks based on who can fix them.
For example, if you have a reliable handyman who charges by the hour, save up 4–5 small items from your home repair list—like repairing a towel bar and fixing a sticking door—to make their visit more cost-effective.
Finding Reliable Help for Home Repairs
A good handyman is worth their weight in gold! If a project is outside your skill set, don't let it sit on your list for months.
Use Apps: Platforms like Angi can help you find rated professionals.
Ask for Referrals: A recommendation from a friend is often the most reliable way to find someone who is prompt and fair.
Be Patient with the Best: The best contractors are often booked out. If you find an outstanding, inexpensive handyman, be patient with their schedule—the quality is worth the wait.
Using Micro-Prompts to Finish Projects Promptly
If you find yourself procrastinating, try using the "Micro-Prompt" method found in our Declutter Deck®. Instead of saying "I need to fix the whole house," draw a card that gives you a specific, timed task.
If you’re repairing items as a prompt suggests, remember to take a "Before" and "After" photo. This simple act provides a sense of accomplishment and visual proof of your progress. Once that "After" photo is taken, you’ve finished for the day!
About Life Hack Decks®
Declutter Decks® are part of the life Hack Decks® collection. Life Hack Decks® are powerful micro-prompt motivational cards to make your life easier while reducing stress in your day. These instructional decks simplify ineffective routines and help you go from stuck and overwhelmed to inspired and empowered.
Life Hack Decks® take the stress out of decision-making and motivate you to tackle things you’ve been putting off for years. Life Hack Decks® (52 cards per deck) allow you to focus on the things that bring you joy, happiness, and connection with others rather than lingering in the mundane, anxiety-producing ruts in which we often find ourselves. The Life Hack Decks® collection currently includes Date Deck®, Declutter Deck®, Dorm Deck, New Mama Deck, and Random Acts of Kindness Deck.
Order your Declutter Deck® to get your repairs completed. $19.95 with free shipping. And don’t forget to tag us and a friend at @lifehackdecks to show us your before-and-after photos.