How to keep receipts, warranties and manuals in order

What is worth keeping

• The receipt or invoice — proof of when and where you bought it, and for how much.
• Warranty terms and the date the warranty ends.
• The manual, or a link to it on the manufacturer's website.
• Model and serial number — usually on a label inside the door or on the back. Take a photo of it.
• Installation date and installer for things like heat pumps, water heaters and white goods, where the installer's work can matter for a claim.

Warranty and your legal rights

A manufacturer's warranty is a promise on top of your consumer rights, not instead of them. In the EU you always have a legal guarantee of at least two years against faults that were there when you bought the product, and some countries give you more. The receipt is what proves your purchase date, so keep it for at least as long as those rights last — for bigger purchases, for as long as you own the product.

Go digital — receipts fade

• Photograph paper receipts as soon as you get home. Receipts printed on thermal paper can fade to blank in a year or two.
• Save manuals as PDFs or links instead of keeping the booklet in a drawer.
• Keep everything per item, not in one big folder: the dishwasher's receipt, manual and warranty belong together.
• Write down the warranty end date — then you don't have to work it out from the receipt when something breaks.

How HomeTendr helps

In HomeTendr every appliance or other thing in your home is an item with brand, model, serial number, purchase and warranty dates. On the Max plan you can attach photos, PDFs, web links and notes, so the receipt and manual sit right next to it. House health flags warranties that end within the next 30 days, so you can have something looked at while it is still covered.

Tip: bigger projects deserve the same treatment. Save the invoice and photos for a new roof or bathroom as a renovation.