It’s almost time for the holidays! Are you ready?
I think this season, more than perhaps the others, requires intentional planning if you have any hope of getting the needed winterizing and maintenance chores done. This is the time you want your home to be warm and cozy. It’s not a time you want to skip the chores.
A couple of days and you can have this knocked off your list so that the rest of the holiday you can spend sipping hot cocoa or eggnog by the fire while the winter wind howls outside.
How This Works
For every month, you will see three category of tasks – reoccurring, maintain, and prep. Prep is for those who are way behind in home maintenance chores. I would suggest starting there if that sounds like you and then adding on what you can from reoccurring and finally, if you have energy left, maintain. If you need help with those chores, join our free course, Prep. The chores listed under Maintain are the chores we are covering in our course.
🔁 Reoccurring Tasks
- Check water softener salt levels (if you have one- a must if you have a water heater and a softener.)
- Change HVAC filter (add a reminder to your calendar to check it again in 1 to 3 months.)
- Look for ice dams or icicles (for those in colder climates)
- Clean your kitchen disposal and/or drains. It keeps away odors and germs and helps you avoid clogs.
- Run water and/or flush unused toilets and sinks. It keeps water in the p-trap, which prevents sewer gas from seeping through.
- Have a septic tank? Add in your treatment tablets.
- Prune trees and shrubs away from house. It helps keeps the gutters clear and critters away.
- Check the drainage around your house during next rainstorm. Your primary job as a homeowner is keeping water OUT.
- Clean your dishwasher (especially the filter). It helps it run efficiency and keeps your dishes clean.
🛠️ Maintain
This list looks long, but don’t panic – I bet you do not have do to everything on this list. Just the ones that apply to you.
- Clean the gutters while putting up Christmas lights
- Winterize your outdoor plumbing & sprinkler system
- Trim tree branches that hang over the house or driveway
- Inspect chimney & fireplace
- If you haven’t yet, check your weatherstripping around exterior doors and windows
- Check your heating system, change filters
- Look for damaged or missing shingles on the roof
🧰 Prep
Haven’t been keeping up with home maintenance? Keep it simple and just do these tasks to start. These tasks are the one and done tasks you can do that will make future maintenance and DIY task so much easier.
- New? Join an Orientation Session.
- Create a Vision
- Make a Floor Plan
- Make the Garage More Useable
- Label the Circuit Panel (so easy to do when you have the xmas lights out! see our course for details)
Skills needed for the month
Just what is an ice dam anyways?
A Quick Way to Melt an Ice Dam
More about ice dams and a simple, quick, safe way to melt them (minute 3:20)
What happens during a chimney sweep and inspection
This video is well done but now I want to go watch Mary Poppins.