When you buy a house, be sure to ask the prior homeowners (if any) if they have information about the house's appliances, repairs, etc. When the dishwasher breaks the night before Thanksgiving you'll be happy that the previous owners have the instruction manual for the dishwasher—with information about who to call to get it repaired or, better yet, how to fix it yourself—in a 3-ring binder with all of the other major appliance information.

Here are some things you should put in your home information binder:

Manuals, receipts, specialty tools for adjustments, maintenance, and warranty information for all of the following that are applicable:

• Dishwasher
• Refrigerator
• Trash compactor
• Built-in water filter
• Garbage disposal
• Oven (and cooktop, if separate)
• Built-in microwave oven
• Ceiling fans
• Clothes washer
• Clothes dryer
• Furnace, including the size of air filter you'll need to buy and replace (It's also good to write this information in permanent marker on the furnace duct near the filter.)
• Humidifier/dehumidifier
• Whole-house air cleaner
• Heat pump
• Air conditioner
• The name of the paint or wallpaper on each wall (color chips or wallpaper samples are best, with notes as to which room they refer to)
• The brand and color name of the carpeting in each room and the carpet padding
• Roofing material (shingles, adobe, metal, etc.)
• Garage door opener
• Alarm/security system
• In-ground sprinkler system
• Windows and doors
• Pool
• Hot tub
• Sauna

• Information about any improvements you've made to the house, such as replacing windows and doors, adding a deck, or major construction.
• Routine maintenance schedules
• The plot of your land, including where underground infrastructure (electricity, gas, etc.) lines run.
• The landscaping blueprints, if the yard was professionally landscaped.
• Any home inspection reports done by a professional inspector.
• Names of the companies or individuals who have done work on your house.
• A map of your immediate neighborhood and the names and phone numbers of your neighbors is also quite helpful.