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Housekeeping

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How do you manage reminders for annual things like MOT, insurance policies etc

58 replies

TimeTime · 13/01/2026 15:08

I am trying to be more organised this year and get some systems in place. I have just done a spreadsheet which lists which supplier provides our various utilities, insurances etc. I’d like a reminder which pops up somewhere of when insurance, MOT & things are due for renewal as, at the moment, I tend to rely on the relevant provider contacting me. I’d rather have an independent system too. DH& I have both got iPhones & both use Outlook if that helps.
Thanks!

OP posts:
itsthetea · 13/01/2026 15:08

iPhones have a reminder app that you just add them to?

ReignOfError · 13/01/2026 15:09

I put them in an electronic diary with a couple of alerts a week or so in advance.

Purlant · 13/01/2026 15:10

Stick a recurrent meeting in for you and your husband the day the renewal is due with an alert the week or so before. I wouldn’t bother with a spreadsheet, that’s just adding an extra layer!!

Ilovemyshed · 13/01/2026 15:10

You can set up reminders in an outlook calendar, or Apple reminders. I quite like the free version of Family Wall as well which we can both have for a shared calendar and lists.

Tresd · 13/01/2026 15:10

I just have a chart next to the calendar for each car with 4 columns - MOT, Tax, Insurance, Service. I manage several cars - me, DH, teens and elderly parents.

hohahagogo · 13/01/2026 15:11

I just set mine on dd, so much easier, when the new quote comes through I just check it’s ok and if so it continues. Mot I get a reminder from dvla

DisplayPurposesOnly · 13/01/2026 15:12

I put it in my outlook calendar for the due date, with the reminder set to 4 weeks so I have plenty of notice if I decide to shop around rather than renewing.

And I have a budget spreadsheet that includes these annual events with a note of the month.

Branster · 13/01/2026 15:13

Annual repeats in the calendar set up 3 and 2 weeks prior to the event and on the day of the event.
Direct debits set up for everything that's possible.
Don't forget annual services for things like the boiler, fireplaces etc.
There aren't that many really.

wonderstuff · 13/01/2026 15:13

I have a physical calendar and copy over key dates. I find a 16 month calendar easier, runs August to following December, so there’s always a few months left to add things onto. I also try to put when passports need renewing on a few months before they expire.

SlipperyLizard · 13/01/2026 15:16

For MOT, sign up for the DVLA reminder texts.

Everything else I just check my emails regularly but if that’s not an option use a shared calendar with recurring appointments and notifications.

Eixample · 13/01/2026 15:30

Purlant · 13/01/2026 15:10

Stick a recurrent meeting in for you and your husband the day the renewal is due with an alert the week or so before. I wouldn’t bother with a spreadsheet, that’s just adding an extra layer!!

We do this. We have a joint email address with a calendar we have on both phones. When it’s renewed we put it in the calendar for the next year.
We use the same calendar for everything shared, including house and children’s things.
On 2nd January we also check all ID cards, passports, driving licences to see if they expire during that year and add reminders to the calendar if so.

Purlant · 13/01/2026 15:37

Eixample · 13/01/2026 15:30

We do this. We have a joint email address with a calendar we have on both phones. When it’s renewed we put it in the calendar for the next year.
We use the same calendar for everything shared, including house and children’s things.
On 2nd January we also check all ID cards, passports, driving licences to see if they expire during that year and add reminders to the calendar if so.

We do the same, but just have our own emails and share our calendars (although probably don’t need to do this as we create an even and send the meeting NG bin it’s to the other so we’d both have visibility anyway!). If one of us has an event on and can’t do our regular pick up, we send a meeting invite to say ‘out with friends, DH doing pick up’. It works really well.

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 13/01/2026 15:40

Kitchen calendar. Big enough to see, doesn’t get lost, easy to update. Was easy enough for DH to also use. Doesn’t need to update across phones etc.
kiss usually wins the day. Xx

muddyford · 13/01/2026 15:51

On a postcard clipped to the side of my tray system on my desk.

TY78910 · 13/01/2026 15:56

I must say I don’t. Most of those companies (if not all actually) send me an email or a text when it’s due

UniDaysAcoming · 13/01/2026 15:58

Google calendar reminder.
You will get email/postal reminders too.

DeanStockwell · 13/01/2026 16:01

ReignOfError · 13/01/2026 15:09

I put them in an electronic diary with a couple of alerts a week or so in advance.

This is exactly what I do on my outlook calander.

Bandol · 13/01/2026 16:02

I have a folder in my Apple Notes app on my iPhone called Household and I share this folder with DH. Inside I have a subfolder called Cars which has a note for each car. In each car’s respective note we record when the next service is due, date the service has been done, when MOT is due, mileage etc.

I enhance the note with photos of mileage for example if appropriate to reassure myself that the dates are not a typo!

I also have a reminder in the iPhone reminders app that will remind in advance to book appointments and have time to get an appointment slot before the due date.

Foggytree · 13/01/2026 16:05

I add it to my phone calendar to remind me to do things. Nearly everything these days.

MOT is easy as dhs is the same sort of time.
Road tax - they send out a letter as a reminder anyway, then I put it in the phone calendar.

TeenToTwenties · 13/01/2026 16:07

I write them on the calendar 2-3 weeks before they are due, and then on the drop dead due date.
You can sign up to reminders for MOT from a government website.

namechange272727 · 13/01/2026 16:11

I use the reminder app on iPhone - I have one for each month listing things that recur that month each year eg boiler service, mot, car insurance, birthdays etc. works well for me

ICanHearAnOwlCall · 13/01/2026 16:16

This thread seems to be confirming what I suspect: that few people have paper calendars. There were fewer in shops this year imo.

HoseGoblin · 13/01/2026 16:20

Shared calendar app. Husband and I are both android and Google users but I'm sure apple/outlook have similar functionality.

Husband also has a paper diary but that's just because he likes writing things down!

ElderlyDilemmas · 13/01/2026 16:25

Reminders on iphone calendar, use the reminders function rather than set them as calendar events. You do get reminders from a lot of companies but insurance might only be two weeks and it's much better to shop around before that, I never let mine auto-renew. Haven't used a paper calendar for about 10 years.

WonderingWanda · 13/01/2026 16:25

The car tells me when it needs a service. You can sign up to the government mot reminder service. You could set aside one day year to organise all the household stuff e.g testing smoke alarms, boiler servicing, chimney sweeping etc.