Yearly Home Safety Plan

You already know what needs to happen—smoke alarms, roof checks, leaks, documents, storm prep, and all the other “I’ll do it later” jobs. This page is about turning that mess into one yearly plan you can actually follow without thinking about it every month.

Use this as the top-level roadmap, then plug in focused checklists like Home Safety Annual Review, Monthly Home Safety Checklist, Seasonal Home Safety Checklist, and Home Emergency Kit Checklist.

1. Pick Your “Home Safety Month”

[ ] Choose one month each year to run your main safety push (for example, January or October).
[ ] Block a single weekend on the calendar for major checks.
[ ] Add repeating calendar reminders for this month every year.
[ ] Print or save this plan and the Home Safety Annual Review together as your core packet.

2. Annual Inspection Anchor Tasks

[ ] Walk the whole property using the Home Safety Annual Review.
[ ] Prioritize fire, electrical, and water issues first.
[ ] Create a simple “A, B, C” priority list (fix now, fix soon, watch).
[ ] Set deadlines on the calendar for the top five repairs.

3. Monthly Safety Rhythm

[ ] Pick one consistent day each month (first Saturday, for example).
[ ] Use the Monthly Home Safety Checklist for quick, repeatable tasks.
[ ] Rotate small jobs—one month focus on plumbing, another on outdoor hazards, another on alarms.
[ ] Record anything that might become an annual project instead of a “today” problem.

4. Seasonal Checkpoints

[ ] At the start of each season, run through the Seasonal Home Safety Checklist.
[ ] Pair seasonal checks with real weather: storm season, heat waves, or freezing temps.
[ ] Schedule storm prep using the Storm Readiness Checklist before your area’s worst weather period.
[ ] Update heating, cooling, and outdoor setups at each seasonal change.

5. Emergency Gear and Kits

[ ] Once a year, empty and rebuild your main emergency kit using the Home Emergency Kit Checklist.
[ ] Rotate food, water, batteries, and medications before they expire.
[ ] Confirm everyone in the home knows where kits are stored.
[ ] Add a second small kit to your vehicle if you don’t already have one.

6. Fire, Alarm, and Evacuation Routine

[ ] Test smoke alarms and CO detectors during your yearly safety month.
[ ] Replace batteries across the board once a year, not one at a time.
[ ] Review your family’s fire escape plan and meeting spot.
[ ] Check fire extinguishers’ pressure and expiration dates.

7. Water, Roof, and Weather Risks

[ ] Run a focused water risk pass using the Water Damage Prevention Checklist.
[ ] Inspect the roof, gutters, and drainage once a year minimum.
[ ] Fix minor leaks now—stains, slow drips, or damp areas don’t fix themselves.
[ ] Make a list of contractors you’d actually call if something fails.

8. Documents, Insurance, and Records

[ ] Gather policies, IDs, and key records using the Insurance Document Checklist.
[ ] Update your home inventory once a year with big new purchases.
[ ] Store digital copies of documents offsite or in the cloud.
[ ] Decide if coverage changes are needed before renewal dates hit.

9. Family Communication and Roles

[ ] Assign clear roles for your yearly safety month (who checks what).
[ ] Make sure everyone knows where shutoffs are: water, gas, power.
[ ] Keep a printed list of emergency numbers on the fridge or command center.
[ ] Review basic “what to do if…” scenarios once a year—fire, storm, power loss, medical emergency.

10. Tracking, Notes, and Next Year

[ ] Keep a simple notebook or digital note labeled “Home Safety Log – YEAR.”
[ ] Record what you fixed, what you ignored, and what broke unexpectedly.
[ ] At the end of the year, skim the log and adjust next year’s priorities.
[ ] Attach this plan to your Home Safety Annual Review so you only have one place to look.

A yearly home safety plan is just a calendar with a backbone. Pick your month, stack the right checklists into it, and keep a simple log. Do that every year and you’ll catch most problems while they’re still cheap and easy to fix.