Add These DIY Home Improvement Projects to Your Winter to-Do List
Winter is coming, as they say. And as the pandemic continues to rage, we are all preparing (or should be) staying at home, especially in the next few months. This creates both the need for basic winter preparation and the ability to go about your projects while you’re stuck inside.
The trend towards DIY home renovations skyrocketed early this summer, with retailers reporting increased demand for goods from lumber to plant feed. And while Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Research suggests this trend is unlikely to continue , people still plan to pursue landscaping, painting and general maintenance for the foreseeable future.
So what should you add to your DIY home improvement list for winter conditions?
Basic preparation for winter
Even if you don’t care too much about DIY, you can do a few small seasonal projects to get your home ready for colder weather. There are many of the checklists out there, but here’s a quick kick to get you started:
- Check and replace the seal or sealant on doors and windows.
- Remove leaves and debris (including ice) from drains.
- Replace your oven air filter
- Turn the ceiling fans clockwise (and dust them off while you do!)
- Close the taps for external water supplies and allow dripping to drain to prevent freezing of pipes.
- Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace their batteries.
Dye
Painting is a great indoor activity for the winter. If you tint or paint over walls, cabinets or furniture, you will probably spend a lot more time looking at them.
Getting ready for spring landscaping
You can make garden boxes in preparation for spring and store them in your garage or basement. You can also try sowing seeds indoors . If you want to get serious about seeds, make a homemade lighting shelf .
Do a shallow service
If you have a leaky faucet, squeaky door hinge, or mold in the sealant around your tub, take a day to fix those issues. Caulking a bath may seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually quite simple and requires only a few tools. Cleaning the tile grout is another rough but necessary task to do when it’s cold outside.
Organize, well, everything
It’s time to clean out cupboards, cupboards and drawers in every room. Get rid of what you no longer need or no longer need, and organize what you have left. Invest in organizing and storage systems – baskets, boxes, shelves, hangers, and more – to keep everything in order.
Deep cleaning
Once you are organized, you can also clean up. We’ve got guides for deep cleaning your bathtub and tiles , windows , floors and oven, and more .
Use these colder fall and winter months to tackle a myriad of home improvement projects, but be mindful of your limitations. Not all tasks are suitable for handicraft .