15 Things You Should Do at Least Once a Year

There are certain tasks in life that you need to do every once in a while, but so seldom that it’s easy to forget. Or to just put it off indefinitely. While we are getting ready to turn another calendar year would be a good time to do some of them -or at plan to. Have you bought a new calendar yet? Maybe you can mark it up by assigning those yearly tasks to different months of 2016, to remind you to get it done. What tasks? Here’s a couple you may not ever think of.

5. DRAIN YOUR HOT WATER HEATER.
The next few annual check ups are related to the home. If your household has one or two people in it, your hot water heater needs to be checked every six months and drained at least every 12 months. Draining it will help it last longer by eliminating any minerals or debris that have built up and could cause the unit to break down. It’s a job you can do yourself with a little time and a hose, so pick a Saturday, read the instructions, and hop to it.
12. TRASH YOUR BEAUTY STASH.
Not all of it, but it’s a good idea to keep an eye on beauty products and stay diligent when it comes to refreshing the supply—this stuff is going on your body, after all, often in highly sensitive areas. In particular, nail polish, sunscreen, hair products, lipsticks and liners, eyeliner, brow pencils, face creams, foundation, cream eyeshadows and blushes, cleansers, and other like items should not sit on your shelf for more than a year. Many of these you’ll be using with enough frequency that they won’t last long anyway, but pay attention to those items that might accidentally stick around longer than they should.

I must admit that there are quite a few on the list that I haven’t ever done. I’m afraid to see what’s on the bottom of my water heaters, since I don’t know how old they were when I got them! But in my previous house, I had one completely fall apart, so it’s worth a try. Read the rest of the list at mental_floss.