6 Easy and Free Home Maintenance Apps You'll Love

If you’re like me, you probably don’t particularly look forward to going to the doctor for your annual checkup, but you know it’s necessary to keep your body in tip-top health. In the same way, maintaining the things we own—vehicles, residences, valuables—may not make our “top 10 fun things to do” list, but life is ultimately easier when we do what’s needed when it’s needed. Here, at least we are lucky enough to live in the “age of technology,” with such an abundance of free digital tools and apps to choose from that we’re nearly guaranteed to find something to make necessary tasks less onerous. The following list of free home maintenance apps represents just a selection of all the tools homeowners use for maintenance—but they’re all free, and they are some of the best available today.

1. HomeSavvy

• Get it for iTunes (free)
• Get it for Android (free)

HomeSavvy is an award-winning home maintenance app (CNN Money, This Old House, Wired magazine) that makes keeping your home in top condition as easy as downloading the app itself. All you need to do is input some basic information about your home and set up your alerts preferences. The app will do the rest. You can learn about seasonal recommendations for maintenance in your region, find DIY tips to save on home maintenance, access preventative maintenance ideas to save future funds, and more.

2. BrightNest

• Get it for iTunes (free)
• Get it for Android (free)
• Visit the website: https://brightnest.com

BrightNest has been called “like LifeHacker for your home” (Wired magazine), and certainly this app is leading the pack in terms of user rave reviews. The app does so many things simultaneously— for instance, it helps you identify your home’s greatest needs, customize task lists, set up alerts, input savings and maintenance goals, and much more. You can also access thousands of different sets of DIY instructions for various home maintenance tasks—each of which can save you money.

3. Home Depot

• Get it for iTunes (free)
• Get it for Android (free)
• Get it for Windows (free)
• Visit the website: http://www.homedepot.com/c/SF_Mobile_Shopping

Home Depot is one of those wonderful national institutions that helps hundreds of thousands of folks complete DIY home maintenance tasks each year. The app is free, and all you need to do to activate its full powers is to choose your home store. Then you have access to photos and descriptions of the full inventory so you can price-compare, select items, and even order them (many with free shipping). You can also use your phone’s GPS once you arrive at a Home Depot store to help you locate the items you need in-store. And you can sync the app with other home maintenance apps to control your utility costs (lighting, thermostat, and more).

4. HomeZada

• Get it for iTunes (free)
• Get it for Android (free)
• Visit the website: http://www.homezada.com/mobile-apps.html

HomeZada offers a free and premium ($5.99) plan, but the free plan is more than adequate for most homeowners’ needs. You can store the details of your entire home inventory (right down to copies of warranties and receipts), keep files on all your property documents (mortgage, taxes), input your list of maintenance contacts, schedule your maintenance with alerts, and much more. The upgraded plan allows you to manage multiple properties, gives you expanded financial record-keeping abilities, integrates with other calendar functions, offers project templates, and more.

5. iFixit

• Get it for iTunes (free)
• Get it for Android (free)
• Visit the website: http://www.ifixit.com

iFixit is a completely free, DIY, homeowner’s repair manual. The apps are supported by a worldwide community of users sharing knowledge and best practices so everyone saves time and money. Best of all, the app extends beyond home repair tasks to devices and even vehicles. You can search for repair manuals, shop for tools and parts, ask questions, and more.

6. Instructables

• Get it for iTunes (free)
• Get it for Android (free)
• Get it for Windows (free)
• Visit the website: http://www.instructables.com

Like iFixit, Instructables represents a global community of folks who want to learn everything they can about DIY-ing their way through life. You will find plenty of resources for home maintenance and repairs, as well as other projects that can improve and beautify your space and your life. Instructables actually extends well beyond home projects into food, gardening, woodworking, technology, and more, so it can be a useful tool for everyone in the family.