you shouldn't have to google
things about your own house.
filter sizes, paint codes, model numbers, contractor names. guides for the homeowner who is, frankly, tired of guessing in the home depot aisle.
the essentials
How to Read Sherwin-Williams Paint Codes (Plus Benjamin Moore and Behr)
What SW 7029 actually means, where the code hides on the can and the swatch, how Benjamin Moore and Behr codes work, and what to do when the label is gone.
AC Filter Sizes: The Complete Guide to HVAC Air Filters
Every AC filter size, MERV ratings explained, nominal vs. actual dimensions, and how often to change them. The complete homeowner reference.
Home Maintenance Checklist: Monthly, Annual & Seasonal Tasks
The complete home maintenance checklist: monthly, seasonal, and annual tasks every homeowner needs. Stop forgetting what's due and when.
Where to Find Appliance Model Number: Free Finder Tool + Guide
Pick your appliance and brand, get the exact spots to check. Free model number finder for refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, dryers, ovens, plus Kenmore, Whirlpool, Bosch, and KitchenAid.
new guides, when they drop. no spam. just what your house asks of you next, explained.
all guides: newest first
Target Cat & Jack Sandal Recall (July 2026): Who's Affected + Refund Steps
Target recalled 211,000 Cat & Jack children's sandals in July 2026 for a choking hazard. Here's how to tell if yours are affected and how to get a full refund.
Are Extended Warranties Worth It? Run This Math Before You Say Yes
Are extended warranties worth it for appliances? Compare the plan price against real repair costs, check what your credit card already covers, and decide with math instead of checkout pressure.
Car Maintenance Log: How to Keep Track of Every Oil Change, Rotation, and Repair
How to keep a car maintenance log that survives longer than the glovebox notebook: what to record, how often to log mileage, and the app method that takes 30 seconds per service.
Storage Unit Inventory: How to Track What's in Your Unit (and Find It in One Trip)
How to inventory a storage unit so you stop paying rent on mystery boxes: a bin-number system, the phone method that beats spreadsheets, and how to organize the unit for one-trip retrieval.
How to Find the Manual for Any Appliance, Free, by Model Number
Lost the manual? Every appliance manual is a free PDF download once you have the model number. Here's where to find it on the appliance, every brand's lookup page, and what to do if the tag is worn off.
How to Keep Track of Home Renovation Costs (the IRS Will Eventually Ask)
Every renovation receipt raises your home's cost basis and can shrink your tax bill when you sell. What counts as a capital improvement, what the IRS wants to see, and a tracking system that survives decades.
Hurricane Home Inventory: The 30-Minute Prep Step That Protects Your Claim
Most hurricane prep lists skip the one step that decides how much your insurance pays: a home inventory. Here's the 30-minute version to do before the storm, and what insurers ask for after.
Home Inventory Checklist: What to Include Room by Room
A complete home inventory checklist organized room by room. What to document, how to value items for insurance, and the fastest way to catalog everything you own.
Home Inventory for Renters: What to Document Before You Need It
Renters need a home inventory just as much as homeowners. Here's what to document for renters insurance claims, security deposit disputes, and roommate splits — with a free tool to do it.
kept vs Manifest: Which Home Inventory App Should You Use in 2026?
kept and Manifest are the only two home inventory apps that check your stuff against CPSC recalls automatically. Here's an honest comparison of price, platforms, AI, and features.
Benjamin Moore Paint Codes Explained: OC, HC, AF, and the Numbers
What OC, HC, AF, and CW mean on Benjamin Moore paint, why one color has two numbers, where the code is on the can, and how to remix years later.
Moving Inventory Checklist: What to Track Before, During, and After the Move
A moving inventory checklist covers more than boxes. Here's what to track before you pack, how to label by room, and what to do if something goes missing or gets damaged.
CPSC Baby Product & Infant Toy Recalls 2026: 30-Second Check
CPSC baby product and infant toy recall list, updated July 2026. Check any baby item in 30 seconds, then save it in kept for automatic alerts when new recalls post.
Paint Finishes Explained: Flat, Eggshell, Satin, Semi-Gloss, and Gloss
Flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, or high-gloss? What each paint finish does, which one belongs in each room, and why the finish matters as much as the color when you touch up.
Should You Register Your Appliances? What It Actually Does (and Doesn't)
You don't need to register an appliance for the warranty; a receipt covers that. But registration is the only way a manufacturer can reach you about a recall. Here's what's worth doing, what to skip, and how to keep it all in one place.
Common Furnace Filter Sizes: How to Find Yours & What to Buy
Most homes use one of 7 common furnace filter sizes. Here's how to find yours by model number or measuring, a full size chart, and which MERV rating to buy.
Appliance Recalls: How to Check If Yours Is Recalled (and What to Do)
Worried an appliance you own has been recalled? Here's how to check any appliance against the CPSC database, what to do if it's recalled, and how to never miss the next one.
The Mental Load of Parenting Three Kids: How I Got It Out of My Head
I'm Joe, a dad of three and the founder of kept. Here's how I track every size, recall, gift, and reorder so the mental load of parenting stops living in my head.
CPSC Recall Alerts: How to Get Notified Before It's Too Late
Every way to get product recall alerts in 2026: CPSC email signup, the recall app, social, plus how to get alerts for only the products you actually own.
How to Check If a Product Is Recalled — Free Lookup (2026)
Look up any product in the official CPSC, NHTSA, and FDA recall databases in seconds — free, no signup. Plus what refund or repair you're owed when it hits.
Appliance Warranty Check: Free Lookup by Serial Number (2026)
Check any appliance warranty free — Whirlpool, GE, Samsung, LG, Bosch, KitchenAid, and more. Enter the serial number, get status in seconds. No receipt needed.
MERV vs MPR vs FPR: The Conversion Chart Filter Brands Hope You Never Find
Filtrete says MPR 1000. Home Depot says FPR 7. The furnace manual says MERV 11. One conversion chart translates all three filter rating systems.
What MERV Rating Do You Actually Need? Furnace Filter Ratings, Settled
MERV 8, 11, or 13? What furnace filter ratings actually mean, which MERV rating fits your home, and when a higher number hurts more than it helps.
Why 70% of Homeowners Don't Know About These 5 Hidden Product Recalls
Tens of millions of recalled products are still sitting in American homes. Here are 5 of the biggest recalls most homeowners never heard about, plus how to check yours in 60 seconds.
CPSC Recalls Search + Free Alerts for Stuff You Own
Search the official CPSC recalls database, then let kept auto-alert you when anything you already own gets recalled. Free, no signup wall.
Home Binder: What to Include and How to Build One That Works
A home binder keeps every detail about your house in one place: model numbers, paint colors, warranties, contractor contacts. Here's what to include and the fastest way to build one.
How to Keep Track of Home Improvements: Receipts & Costs
Most homeowners lose track of renovation spend. That costs money at tax time and when selling. Here's how to document every project so nothing slips.
How to File a Home Insurance Claim: Steps, Documentation, and What to Expect
Most home insurance claims pay out less than they should, not because of fine print, but because the homeowner couldn't prove what they owned. Here's exactly what to do from the moment damage happens to the moment you get paid.
How to Create a Home Inventory for Insurance: A Room-by-Room Guide
The average house fire claim is $88,170. Most homeowners get back less than they actually lost because they can't prove what they owned. Here's how to build the inventory your insurer needs, before you need it.
Home Appliance Lifespan: When to Replace Every Major Appliance
How long do home appliances last? A complete guide to the lifespan of every major appliance (fridge, dishwasher, washer, dryer, HVAC, water heater) and how to know when it's time to replace.
Water Heater Maintenance: What to Do Each Year (and When to Replace)
A practical maintenance schedule for tank and tankless water heaters: annual flush, anode rod, descaling, and how to know when it's time to replace yours.
I've Been Using kept for Six Months. Here's What Actually Happened.
Not a review. Just what it's actually been like to track my home with kept for six months: the filter aisle moment that started it, what saved me, and what still doesn't work perfectly.
Things Needed for a New House: The Info Checklist Nobody Gives You
Moving into a new house? Here's the checklist of information you need to gather (filter sizes, paint colors, model numbers, contractor contacts) before you need it.
Are Paint Codes Universal? Behr, Sherwin, Benjamin Moore Guide
Paint codes aren't universal — each brand has its own format. How to read Behr, Sherwin, Benjamin Moore, and Valspar when the can is gone.
New Home Necessities: What You Actually Need When You Move In
A practical new home necessities list: not the fluff, just what you'll actually reach for in the first 30 days. Plus what to record before you forget.
What to Look for When Buying a House: The Practical Checklist
Beyond the realtor's tour: what to actually inspect, what questions to ask the seller, and what to record before you close.
Home Maintenance: The Complete Guide for Homeowners
What your house actually needs, what it costs when you skip it, and how to build a maintenance system you'll actually use.
Home Service Checklist: Everything Your House Needs and When
The complete home service checklist organized by season: monthly, spring, summer, fall, winter, and annual tasks every homeowner needs.
Best Organization Apps for Homeowners (2026)
The best organization apps for homeowners: for tracking home info, managing tasks, storing documents, and keeping your household running.
Best Furnace Filters for 2026: MERV 8, 11, and 13 Picks
MERV 8, 11, or 13? Our picks for the best furnace filters by home type, what each rating actually catches, the MPR and FPR conversions, and how often to change them.
Home Maintenance Log: How to Track It All
A home maintenance log saves you time, money, and the panic of not knowing when your furnace was last serviced. Here's how to build one that you'll actually use.
New House Essentials Checklist: Everything You Actually Need
Moving into a new house? Here's the complete essentials checklist: what to buy, what to find out, and what to save so you're never hunting for it later.
Things You Need to Remember About Your House: A Complete Checklist
Paint colors. Filter sizes. Contractor contacts. Warranty dates. A checklist of everything about your house you should remember, and where to keep it.
Contractor Contact List: How to Build One and Never Lose a Good Contractor Again
You found a great plumber. Three years later you can't remember their name. Here's how to organize contractor contacts so you never lose a good one.
Home Maintenance Record System: A Complete Guide That Actually Works
A simple home maintenance record system for tracking appliances, contractors, paint colors, warranties, and repairs.
stop googling your own house. kept remembers it for you.
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