Lifestyles change as seasons move forward, and as we push forward towards the festive season, preparing your home for it is one of the first things that should be on your mind. In the summer we look for lighter colors, lighter fabrics and as many open windows as possible, but things change as the weather cools down.
As we’re coming into the coldest season of the year, with snow on the way and freezing rain, we want to make sure that our homes are well nested so that they feel comfortable and cozy from the moment we walk through the door.
The good news is that there are plenty of quick and easy updates that you can make both to the outside and the inside of your home that make it feel comfortable and ready for the winter months. Let’s dive in and take a look.
- Work from the outside in. If you want to get your home properly ready for the winter months and you need to start outside and work your way in. The reason for this is because you want to make sure that your home looks good before you even get through the door. Preparing your garden for the winter with a Worx edger, a lawnmower and a shed is a good start. It’s all about cutting back that grass, pushing back those hedges and making sure that all of your tools are stored ready for the winter months. Having all of the outdoor furniture cleaned down properly and stored away is also a smart idea because you’re going to be spending much less time outside in the winter months than you would have done in the summer.
- Put away the light window coverings. Those sheer curtains that you hung up for the summer months need to be stored away now for the winter and the cool weather window coverings need to come out. Sheer curtains are fantastic for that summer weather, but they’re not so great for keeping in the heat. When the temperatures drop, you’re going to thank yourself for making sure that you have something heavier over the windows so that the cold air doesn’t permeate into your lounge or your bedroom. Insulated curtains paired with roller blinds can help you to keep the heat in, which incidentally helps you to save money on your energy bills.
- Layer up. Both the inside of your living room and your bedroom, and any carpeted space in your home should be added to with layers. Carpets can keep your home warm, but when you add an additional rug on top, you keep the heated even more. Think cozy knitted throws on the sofas, extra cushions on the bed and a blanket on top of your duvet. All of these can make the difference when you want a nested and snug space to cuddle down in just to feel that warmth as the weather roars outside.
- Switch up your colour palette. You don’t need to decorate your home every single season, but what you do need to do is consider the colour palette that you’re using. We talked about lighter fabrics and everything in the summer, and that’s because it keeps the heat reflected rather than insulated. With deeper colors such as sage, greens, and purples, you’ll be able to embrace the richness of the season. Winter is all about feeling warm and comfortable, with good food, good drinks, and decent sleep.
- Upgrade your HVAC. While we’re talking about preparing a home for the winter, you need to get the cleaners in to come and give your HVAC a good seeing too. When was the last time you had your heater checked over to make sure it was running correctly? If you’ve been running your air conditioning unit all through the summer and it has a heating function that you need to switch to for the winter, then have somebody come in and change the filters and give it a clean. You want to be breathing fresh air through the season, not old air.
- Cover up those hard floors. Low maintenance flooring is great, but in the winter the floors can get particularly cold, especially if they are on top of concrete. If you can’t afford to install under floor heating, then it’s time to cover up. Those hardwood floors and rugs are an easy and effective way to make your home comfortable. Most people like to keep their additional rugs in storage through the summer months so that they can bust them out just for the winter months instead of keeping them there all year round. Investing in a couple of rugs will make your feet feel very comfortable when you’re getting up in those early dark mornings for work.
- Have your fireplace checked over. If you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace, then it’s important that you start stocking up on your firewood early. But before you do that, you should have an expert come in and check it over to make sure it’s in good working condition. If your home has an old style chimney, that also needs to be checked and swept for any birds, rodents or nests that may have occurred there over the summer.
- Check the windows and doors. The seals around windows and doors are something that keeps the cold out and the heat in, but these need to be checked every season to ensure that they are in good working condition. You don’t want to have to worry about feeling the cold air leaking into the house because all that’s going to happen is the air that you’re warming on the inside is going to leak out.
- Swap out your bedding. Your duvet is going to be the best friend that you have during the winter, but you need to make sure it’s thick enough that you feel comfortable while you sleep. If you have thin blankets on your bed currently, then swapping these out for thicker ones is important. Wool and feather quilts are very popular in the winter months and are the best options for those who want maximum warmth and comfort.
