Well, start with "if it's broken, fix it"!

Get your HVAC system checked at the beginning of each season.

Ask your painter to come by and do any necessary touch-ups annually.

Water plants if you plant them!

Keep the house CLEAN and TIDY! This part is enormous!

Keep the inside of your refrigerator clean.

This will give you a good start.

I used to teach classes for new home owners getting Habitat for Humanity homes. Reason? They usually grew up in public housing or apartment buildings were the maintenance was done by someone else. Many of the new folks never had to buy light bulbs, turn off the water when there was a leak, replace a broken light switch plate, or cut the grass and many more.

Make a list of all the things that need to be done on a regular basis. Add to the list as necessary. My wife developed a large calendar on which we write things like appointments and maintenance items(birthdays/anniversaries/etc as well).

So, know where/how to turn off gas/water/electricity. Fix things quickly, don't wait for the leaky faucet to repair itself---I've never seen that happen. Even seemingly small things, like a storm door hydraulic closer broken or not working, or a door that no longer latches, or the light bulb in the shower burnt out.

Clean and dust at least monthly. That means mop/vacuum/dust everywhere in the house. Does not have to be all in one day or even week, but keep things clean.

Reason? That helps furnace filters stay cleaner and need changed less often. Because those need regular changing. If there are appliances like water softeners/refrigerator filters/humidifiers, those need regular attention(cleaning/filling/etc.) That also helps keep the A coil in the AC unit in the furnace free of clogs---which decrease the air flow of both the AC and furnace.

Water leaks/stains on ceilings/walls get fixed fast. Have pro's inspect the roof/gutters/windows/doors for the leak source(often leak sources are difficult to pinpoint).

You will normally start to ignore some things or not notice gradual changes. Like a normal settling crack that shows up at the corner of a window and runs 9" and stops. Not a huge issue unless it changes. Or a door that starts sticking when opened/shut. Those are fairly normal and often overlooked. Once in a while(once a year maybe) inspect for things like those two items. Make a note and inspect sooner. If they don't change in a year, fix them, they should not reoccur.

Wash the siding occasionally. How that is done depends on the type of siding. My neighbor washes the north side of his house(garage wall) once a year as it gets mildew on it(vinyl siding). He made a long handled broom(soft bristles) and gently scrubs with a solution of laundry soap/water and hoses it off.

I use a stiffer bristle brush hooked to my hose to wash my steel siding.

Keep weeds/plants/etc. clear of the foundation and siding around the house. Inspect(flashlight inside) the foundation/basement a couple times a year(between fall/winter and in spring) for problems.

If there are problems from dampness in the basement, get a dehumidifier and use it. The cost of the electricity will usually be cheaper than repairs.

Clean(I use a hose and nozzle) to clean the cooling fins on the outside AC unit whenever necessary(spring tree/shrub pollen can clog in in just a week).

Clean gutters at least twice a year, unless there are gutter guards installed(good idea, IMHO) nand check once a year(spring) if guards are installed.

There are more things, but what I listed will be a start. It may seem trying to do all that is daunting, but they really only take a couple of hours a week and just hours a year for the bigger things. It is a really good time to reward yourself with a glass of wine or a beer when done.:-)

freeoscar- CONGRATS on the home you love!

There's great advice already. When you first start making a schedule, it can seem daunting- it isn't. Just a way to keep you "on it".

Small ball: Please make sure you change the filters on your HVAC vents every month. Interestingly, the owner of the HVAC company advised me to use cheaper, rather than more expensive, and change regularly. You'll find it.

Also add to your list: Ducts can and should be cleaned at least once every 2 years. Get's rid of all "scum", and is a good allergen protection.

This one- please don't be offended, as it pertains to housekeeping. Any window that opens needs to be wiped regularly- while window is open. Dirt etc catches in the corners. Makes the seal not as good. Ah- I got "caught" on that one, and was happy to hear it

I highly recommend at least a quarterly professional deep clean in home. Things like vacuuming out ceiling ducts, around can lights, get the ceilings- deep. Baseboards should be spotless- toilets, tubs and surrounds for all, the same.

Silly? I vacuum out my dryer component in the laundry room. Remove and clean filter. Get a slim attachment. Go.

I do pro clean twice a year, as I'm a bit of a freak about cleaning and have the time. But then I see where my deficits might be. Does this toilet need to be re-caulked, is there a tiny bit of touch up paint to be done, is the main shower doing ok, is everything airtight etc? Then I bring in a handy man who can do all the small stuff. Doesn't cost much, and my home still looks brand new after three years.

It all sounds a bit much, but it makes a world of difference. That you're thinking about it means you are going to be very fine. If you choose to sell a well-maintained home? There is an "aging" factor that sometimes matters in a sale. I once sold a 25 year old home that the independent appraiser deemed "age of 5 years". Well, there you go. We got the highest price per square foot in the neighborhood, and a very quick sale. Maintenance does pay!

DH created a laundry list of maint. chores and frequency. Then he created a calendar distributed chores into 12 months as best as practicable. He abides by calendar religiously and chores are never overwhelming, most are done in 1 day. He might skip a month or so but easy to get back in the groove. Easier for new couples and empty nesters to get organized but if you get in this routine early on, when kids enter the picture you already have a system going. If you don’t get a maint. routine going, you’re gonna feel like a pinball machine going from mishap to mishap. Save yourself the grief.

I love this topic! Excellent advice from HandyMac.

From a different angle:

Don't bring stuff home. Junk. Dont let it pile up. How many free beer coozies do you need? Zero.

If stuff piles up you cant clean. And if you dont clean you dont see issues. And if you dont see issues they can turn into big problems.

Learn to fix things. Dont let insects build nests. Kill them, caulk up the holes. Dont let mice live in the garage. Seal any openings and inspect them yearly. Dont let paint peel. Dont let sills rot. Dont let crud build up in the shower (I'm taking a break right now from heavy duty shower glass cleaning.)

Dont stuff closets. Dont pile boxes against walls. Dont overload drawers and cabinets.

More later.

Good luck!

Is this the first home, as compared to a rental unit, that you have lived in?

You need an organized 3-ring binder for of all of the information you have about your house, and all of the future information you will be gathering. Include your user instructions and warranty information about washer, dryer, range, micowave, dishwasher, refrigerator, alarm system, etc.

You will need file folders for your property tax assessments, homeowner's insurance, utility bills, mortgage payments, cable and alarm service, etc.

There are many important periodic functions for which you need information, i.e., schedues for replacing the filter in your refrigerator, adding new salts for your water softener, your HVAC system inspections, etc.

There are seasonal issues, i.e., clean exterior gutters, pull weeds, blast spider webs, power wash walks and fences, mow lawns, blow snow, etc.

There are periodic required maintenance issues, i.e., cleaning and repainting trim, pergolas, and elements exposed to the weather, checking roofing and flashing conditions, summer and fall HVAC inspections/service

Add a calendar to your 3-ring binder listing all of the work needed month, by month.

Welcome to home ownership!

I agree with creating a schedule for housekeeping and maintenance. When I was younger, I just thought I'd wait 'til this or that "needing doing" or 'til "I felt like it". Not the best plan.

Two notes on the circuit box:

- Put in an outlet right next to your circuit box ... and keep a rechargeable flashlight plugged into it. Why? Because when the lights go out, you'll be able to see the flashlight /use it to identify the right circuits.

- One of my favorite ever gifts was a small laminator. It's useful for so many small things, and your circuit box assignments are a perfect example. Seems like these things are often written in pencil, and then they wear away over the years. Spend a bit of time getting it RIGHT, then protect it with lamination, and you'll be glad when the lights go out.

And if you can't afford even a small laminator (since you just renovated lol), page protectors work very well in the meantime : ) .

In addition to having a calendar/schedule for the big jobs, create a routine for yourselves for the things to do daily and weekly. This will free up time for the larger seasonal jobs.

The more you make the smaller daily and weekly items a routine and a habit, the easier it will be to keep. This includes dusting, mopping, sweeping, vacuuming, etc. If there are shortcuts that will help you keep these habits, like using a Swiffer rather than a traditional mop, then use those without guilt . Find tools that work well and use them. Wirecutter is a good website for this, or ask on GardenWeb in the appropriate forum; they also have some good articles on how to look after things, like this page for caring for your washer and dryer. GardenWeb's Laundry forum is a font of knowledge for appliances and also doing laundry, and there's also a forum for cleaning.

Double-check with the cabinet, flooring, etc. people about the recommended ways to care for the things they just installed in your house. Diligently using the wrong stuff -- like vinegar or Windex on wood (cabinets or floors) -- can ruin the finish and be worse than not cleaning regularly or enough. In many cases, a rag lightly moistened with warm water and a few drops of soap (Dawn dishwashing liquid or something like Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds) is all you need, for wood furniture, cabinets, and so on.