How should I run the review?
Pick a regular time, perhaps after the harvest or before winter, and set aside a few hours. Walk your property, look at each system and write down what needs attention. Do it with family if you can. Include everyone in the household so the work is shared and everyone knows the plan.
Keep the notes in a folder or notebook and compare them next year.
Use the same checklist each year and update it. Over time it becomes a record of your home's history and your own.
- Choose a date and a place for notes
- Walk the property in daylight
- List repairs by urgency
What should I check around the house and land?
Look at the roof, gutters, foundation, chimney, doors and windows, fences, gates, driveways and culverts. Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and check fire extinguishers. Walk the property after rain to see drainage. Check for signs of pests, damp and rot, which are easier to repair when caught early.
Make a list of repairs and decide what you can do and what needs a professional.
Take photos of problem areas so you can compare them next year. Cracks, stains and slope changes are easier to track in pictures.
- Roof, gutters and chimney
- Fences, gates and culverts
- Alarms and extinguishers
- Drainage after rain
What about well, septic and utilities?
If you have a private well or septic system, learn from your county health department and the EPA how often they should be inspected and tested. Do not rely on memory or on a neighbor's schedule. A licensed professional can do the inspection.
Check the propane tank, firewood, generator and backup supplies, and review how you would manage an outage.
Write down the date of each test or inspection and the name of the professional. A short log saves you from guessing.
- Test private wells with an approved lab through your health department
- Inspect septic on a schedule from local advice
- Check propane, wood and generator
What should I review about safety and emergency plans?
Confirm your address sign, driveway access and emergency contact list. Update your family plan, first aid kit and medication supplies. Review the plan with children and guests.
Ready.gov and your county emergency management office explain household plans. Sign up for local alerts.
Practice the plan, not just the paperwork. Run a short drill with the whole household, including the question of where to meet and who to call.
- Address sign and driveway
- Emergency contacts
- Supplies and medications
- Local alert sign-ups
What about money and insurance?
Look at your budget, insurance policies, property taxes and savings for repairs. Ask your insurance agent whether your coverage matches your property and any changes. This is general education, not financial or legal advice.
A licensed financial professional can help with planning, and your extension office may run budgeting workshops.
Review beneficiaries, important documents and where they are stored. Ask a licensed professional for help with legal or tax questions.
- Compare coverage to the property
- Review deductibles
- Save for repairs
How do I check on myself and my community?
Ask how you are doing. Are you rested, connected and healthy? Do you have friends nearby? Check on elderly neighbors, thank those who helped you and consider volunteering. If you are struggling, talk to a doctor or counselor, and in the US you can call or text 988 at any time.
Choose one thing to improve in the coming year.
Do one thing for your future self: update a will or emergency contact list, check an old prescription, or sign up for a class. Small steps count.
- Rest and sleep
- Friends and family
- Health and checkups
- Community help
How do I turn the review into action?
Sort your list into three groups: do now, do this season and do this year. Assign each item to someone and put a date on it. Small, scheduled jobs actually get done, while a long list tends to sit.
Reward yourself for finishing. A review that ends with a good meal and a plan is a review you will repeat.
Keep the review kind. It is not a test of whether you are doing everything right. It is a way to look after your home and the people in it.
Key takeaways
- Review your home, land, vehicles and supplies once a year.
- Ask professionals about well, septic and other systems rather than guessing.
- Update emergency plans, contacts and alerts.
- Check budgets and insurance with the right professionals.
- Check on yourself and your neighbors too.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Rural Farm Life Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.