Housekeeping: 10 Ways to Keep Your Home Ticking Over Throughout Winter
It’s the little jobs that can make all the difference, so give your home the once-over with our winter MOT checklist
Lara Sargent
12 January 2015
Houzz UK contributor. Freelance interiors journalist with over 20 years' experience writing for national magazines, newspapers and websites.
Houzz UK contributor. Freelance interiors journalist with over 20 years' experience... More
While March and April might be the traditional time for the big, annual spring clean, it’s important to keep your home in good working order during the cold, wintry months. Having your boiler serviced and gutters cleared are jobs for the professionals, of course, but there are many smaller maintenance tasks, such as sweeping up leaves and cleaning your oven, that will go a long way towards a well-oiled home that functions beautifully. Time to roll up those sleeves and get stuck in…
Scrub your oven
After the cooking marathon that is Christmas, your trusty oven could well be in dire need of a good old clean. You can call in a professional to do the job these days if you have too much on your plate, otherwise buy a special solution (or go au naturel with baking soda and vinegar), roll up your sleeves and get scrubbing. I promise you, the results will definitely be worth all that elbow grease.
After the cooking marathon that is Christmas, your trusty oven could well be in dire need of a good old clean. You can call in a professional to do the job these days if you have too much on your plate, otherwise buy a special solution (or go au naturel with baking soda and vinegar), roll up your sleeves and get scrubbing. I promise you, the results will definitely be worth all that elbow grease.
Clean your windows
With the winter weather in full swing, your windows are bound to be looking a tad on the streaky side. So pick a fine, bright day and get cleaning – inside and out.
You don’t need to splash out on expensive cleaners and cloths to make your windows glisten. For an ecofriendly solution, mix equal measures of distilled or white vinegar and water in a spray bottle, mist the entire window with the solution and rub with paper towels. Wipe vigorously with a dry microfibre cloth and let the views and light flood in.
Discover how to keep your house fresh with natural products
With the winter weather in full swing, your windows are bound to be looking a tad on the streaky side. So pick a fine, bright day and get cleaning – inside and out.
You don’t need to splash out on expensive cleaners and cloths to make your windows glisten. For an ecofriendly solution, mix equal measures of distilled or white vinegar and water in a spray bottle, mist the entire window with the solution and rub with paper towels. Wipe vigorously with a dry microfibre cloth and let the views and light flood in.
Discover how to keep your house fresh with natural products
Call in a chimney sweep
If you have an open fire, and you haven’t done so already, it’s definitely time to get your chimney swept. Open fires are the perfect winter warmer, but the chimney needs to be professionally cleaned at least once a year to avoid smoke damage and chimney fires. Professional sweeps make a really clean job of it these days, too, using high-powered vacuums with very little mess.
Read expert advice on choosing the right fire
If you have an open fire, and you haven’t done so already, it’s definitely time to get your chimney swept. Open fires are the perfect winter warmer, but the chimney needs to be professionally cleaned at least once a year to avoid smoke damage and chimney fires. Professional sweeps make a really clean job of it these days, too, using high-powered vacuums with very little mess.
Read expert advice on choosing the right fire
Order your outdoor clothing
This might sound an obvious one, but with raincoats, fleeces and wellies in constant use at this time of year, it’s a good idea to get organised by hanging up a row of hooks, investing in a shoe rack or just dedicating an area for stashing your oft wet and muddy clothing.
This might sound an obvious one, but with raincoats, fleeces and wellies in constant use at this time of year, it’s a good idea to get organised by hanging up a row of hooks, investing in a shoe rack or just dedicating an area for stashing your oft wet and muddy clothing.
Clear fallen leaves
Outside in the garden, it’s wise to clear fallen leaves on a regular basis to stop paths becoming slippery with mulch and ponds becoming clogged.
Rake paths, paving and lawns often and don’t let dead leaves settle on the grass for too long as it might turn yellow. Ease the job with a leaf blower if you have – or can borrow – one and add the collected pile to your compost heap.
Outside in the garden, it’s wise to clear fallen leaves on a regular basis to stop paths becoming slippery with mulch and ponds becoming clogged.
Rake paths, paving and lawns often and don’t let dead leaves settle on the grass for too long as it might turn yellow. Ease the job with a leaf blower if you have – or can borrow – one and add the collected pile to your compost heap.
Aerate your lawn
While you might not need to mow extensively over the winter season, at this time of year it’s a good idea to aerate your lawn. Grab a garden fork and prick the surface liberally. This will help drainage and get air into the soil to encourage a healthy, green lawn come spring.
While you might not need to mow extensively over the winter season, at this time of year it’s a good idea to aerate your lawn. Grab a garden fork and prick the surface liberally. This will help drainage and get air into the soil to encourage a healthy, green lawn come spring.
Add an extra layer of bedding
As the winter snap really sets in, make sure you are using a heavyweight duvet for optimum snuggle-factor. If that’s not enough (or you just don’t like the feeling of centrally heated bedrooms), layer with extra woollen throws and knitted blankets and hunker down for the season.
As the winter snap really sets in, make sure you are using a heavyweight duvet for optimum snuggle-factor. If that’s not enough (or you just don’t like the feeling of centrally heated bedrooms), layer with extra woollen throws and knitted blankets and hunker down for the season.
Sort out the playroom
Kids’ bedrooms and playrooms are generally bursting at the seams in the aftermath of Christmas, so now is the perfect opportunity to sort out the growing mountain of toys and games. Invest in well-ordered storage (deep boxes, crates and open shelves are a good combination) and take old and unused toys to local playgroups and charity shops that will really appreciate your cast-offs.
Kids’ bedrooms and playrooms are generally bursting at the seams in the aftermath of Christmas, so now is the perfect opportunity to sort out the growing mountain of toys and games. Invest in well-ordered storage (deep boxes, crates and open shelves are a good combination) and take old and unused toys to local playgroups and charity shops that will really appreciate your cast-offs.
Cosy up your sofa
Sometimes, it’s the little things that make the biggest difference, and warming up your living room for the winter season couldn’t be easier. Swap linen and cotton cushion covers for luxurious velvet and chenille designs (even better in vibrant, jewel-bright colours) and have plenty of smart blankets on hand to prevent the chill factor.
Sometimes, it’s the little things that make the biggest difference, and warming up your living room for the winter season couldn’t be easier. Swap linen and cotton cushion covers for luxurious velvet and chenille designs (even better in vibrant, jewel-bright colours) and have plenty of smart blankets on hand to prevent the chill factor.
Declutter your hallway
This one doesn’t require any special skills or design techniques, it’s simply about paring back your hall to create a clear and clean entrance. Our hallways all too often become dumping grounds, so get yours back into tip-top order by putting away coats, bags, boots and umbrellas. Also give your stair carpet, runners and flooring a thorough clean and wipe down woodwork. Now doesn’t that look and feel one hundred per cent better?
TELL US…
Which tasks are at the top of your winter MOT list? Please share your thoughts and tips in the Comments below.
This one doesn’t require any special skills or design techniques, it’s simply about paring back your hall to create a clear and clean entrance. Our hallways all too often become dumping grounds, so get yours back into tip-top order by putting away coats, bags, boots and umbrellas. Also give your stair carpet, runners and flooring a thorough clean and wipe down woodwork. Now doesn’t that look and feel one hundred per cent better?
TELL US…
Which tasks are at the top of your winter MOT list? Please share your thoughts and tips in the Comments below.
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