Pre-Winter Checklist: Where to Start

Photo by Shveyn Irina via Shutterstock

As fall sets in and you’ve prepared the outside of your home for winter, it’s time to move indoors. The cooling days of fall are the perfect time for you to tackle some of those projects you have been putting off. Here are a few helpful tips to get started on your pre-winter checklist:

• Clean out the kitchen cabinets and pantry. Take everything out and set it on the counter. Get rid of expired food boxes and cans. Then, wipe down the shelves with a mild kitchen cleaner and a soft cloth. Organize your food containers. Move older food items to the front for easier access. Once everything's back in place, wipe down the door and drawer faces too.
• Do a freezer purge. Remove everything out of your freezer. Toss anything with freezer burn. While foods stored below 0°F will keep indefinitely, long-term freezing may reduce their quality. If you have not dated your frozen foods, now would be a perfect time to start.
• Gather all your old magazines, books, and newspapers. Recycle newspapers. Pass magazines and books along to a shelter, senior center, or free library.
• Toss piled up envelopes and junk mail that you may have gathered. File away paid bills, essential papers, and other miscellaneous paperwork.
• Clear the clutter from your refrigerator, making room for new artwork, school schedules, and appointment reminders.
• Clear out your closets. Now is a great time to remove any excess from your closets. Donating, recycling or just throwing away anything you may not need anymore is a great way to get rid of anything that may hinder you this winter.

Prep for the Cold

If you have a wood-burning fireplace, make sure all creosote is gone from the chimney since it can cause house fires. Store fresh kindling and approved fireplace wood, ready for that first cold day. Then, move on to the HVAC system. Change the filters. Even though temperatures haven’t hit frigid, it’s best to test the furnace to make sure it works.

When you've readied your home for cold weather, you can decide if fall is the right time to put it on the market. To help you with that decision, give your real estate professional a call.