Every debtor seeking the benefit of Code Section 44-13-100 or, if he refuses, his wife or any person acting as her next friend shall make out a schedule of the property claimed to be exempt and shall return the schedule to the judge of the probate court of the county without making any application for homestead; and it shall not be necessary to publish the schedule in a newspaper. The judge shall record the schedule in a book to be kept by him for that purpose; and, when land out of his county is exempted, he shall transmit the schedule to the judge of the probate court of the county in which the land is located for recording in like manner.
OCGA § 44-13-101