The nights are drawing in and winter is fast approaching – so what can you do around the house to ensure it’s in perfect shape to help you to hunker down, keep warm and wait in comfort for summer to return? These simple tips will help you to transform your home into a haven – so that you and your family can enjoy the great indoors through the colder months.
Get everything ship-shape
Winter is the worst time to be cleaning big items such as rugs, carpets and upholstery – and it’s not a particularly good time to be getting out the paint and finishing off DIY projects, either. So before the colder weather really sets in, take advantage of the slightly fresher climate and throw open the windows, deep clean your curtains, bedding and carpets and give any rooms in need of a fresh lick of paint a mini-makeover.
It’s also a great time to have a clear out – get rid of any unwanted clothes, furniture and other possessions. You could give them to charity, or do a garage or car-boot sale and save the extra cash for the upcoming rainy days!
With everything clean and tidy, you can head into winter feeling calm, collected and with plenty of space to keep safe inside away from the cold. Try cleaning services Houston for help.
Don’t forget the great outdoors
Being cooped up inside all the time is enough to drive anybody mad – however much you like snuggling in front of the stove watching corny movies.
But you don’t have to completely abandon spending time alfresco just because the weather is less than favourable – simply add a few nifty gadgets to your patio area and you can enjoy plenty of clear, crisp nights under the stars. Trim and prune plants and trees which need attention prior to winter and protect vulnerable plants from harsher weather. Make sure you’ve got appropriate patio furniture (easy to clean and suitable for colder weather) and wash fabric coverings –stowing them away from the elements for when you need to use them again. Investing in furniture and BBQ cover sheets is a good idea – they can be weighed down with stones and easily removed when you want to spend time on your patio.
If you don’t fancy braving the cold then there are lots of solutions – fire pits and bonfires can be wonderfully romantic – there’s nothing more inviting than bright, flickering flames licking the air and marshmallows melting mesmerisingly in the fire. If you want as little mess and fuss as possible, then outdoor heaters are the best choice for you. They generate plenty of heat and can often be temperature controlled. They come in all sorts of forms, shapes and sizes suitable for any patio area or budget – and the best thing is you don’t have to clean up after them!
Clean the outside of your property too – windows, doors, paths and walls. Take the moss and leaves out of the gutters as they’re bound to be under much more pressure through winter and if they are full they won’t do their job properly and may cause flooding and water damage inside your house.
Take care of essential maintenance
Winter often throws up a lot of problems in the home which we forget about during the summer. Pipes can freeze and burst, heating systems can buckle under sudden increased use and little cracks and crevices suddenly reveal themselves in the form of pesky draughts. Go round the whole house and bleed your radiators, protect your pipes with warm lagging and plug any holes which much-needed heat could escape from.
