Winter seems to come around so quickly. So quick in fact that a lot of people do not find time in advance to prepare home for winter. Especially with the current year and the issues a lot of people have had to face, it’s no surprise it’s sitting on the backburner. However, preparing the home for winter now, before the cold really sets in, is a great way to make the next few months a little easier for you and your family. It depends on where you live, and indeed in what kind of house you live in, but there are usually things you can do to make winter a little easier. These tips can get you started. If you’ve already thought about some of them then they’ll at least help you shift your perspective and maybe help you think of others.
Winter In The Garden
It’s so easy to forget the outside of your home. You’ll likely spend the majority of your winter inside so it makes sense. But there are a lot of things you can do outside in your garden which will make winter a little easier. Do your last lawn mow for the season and take time to trim back those hedges. This isn’t all about aesthetics though.
Another thing is to consider wildlife in your garden. Get a bird feeder and put some water out in a bowl too; regularly refresh it and make sure it hasn’t frozen over. Maybe even think about having a hedgehog hideout in your garden for them to hibernate in as well.
Last but not least, think about your guttering. You need to make sure this is routinely cleaned, especially if you’ve got a lot of high trees around your property. The gutter can easily become clogged with leaves and other debris, which can lead to water pooling where it shouldn’t. You also want to look for cracks in your pointing from which heat can leak and cold can enter. Blocked drains too, especially the ones at the end of your guttering pipe.
Check The Boiler
You’ll likely be using it a lot more over the colder months, so it makes sense to make sure that your boiler is working properly and at its best in order to prepare home for winter. Find a technician who’s properly qualified and see if they can give it a service. A boiler working properly means the home heats up efficiently to the right level, and also less money is spent on energy because it’s working properly. It might be an outlay now, but in the long term you’ll save cash.
Caulk The Window Gaps
Caulk can be used to fill in the small gaps inside your home. It can stop heat escaping and would usually be applied around the window. It’s fairly cheap too. There are many businesses set up on Amazon who you can purchase off, but there are other places too. It’s easy to apply and if you put too much on, smooth it out. It’ll look better, and save you money in the long run.
Get Cosy
Prepare your home for winter with seasonal home decor. Some pretty fairy lights, extra throws and snuggly blankets around, and a few seasonal indoor plants can really help you to feel ready for winter. You could even buy or send flowers for yourself to brighten up your home (and mood!) for winter too.
*This is a collaborative post
Very useful tips! It’s all too easy to forget about the garden in the winter.
Lots of great ideas here. The best being caulking around the window seals, I would never have thought of that.