Your wardrobe isn’t the only thing that needs to shift with the changing seasons. All around your home there are myriad tasks that will help make each room cozy and efficient for the cooler months of the year. Get your checklist out and make sure your home is winter-ready!
The bedroom. Swap out cotton sheets and lightweight bedspreads with flannel sheets and down or down-alternative duvets. Trade your sheer curtains for heavier drapes that help keep the warm air in. If you have window air conditioning units still in place, make sure they’re removed and that windows are securely sealed. Finally, a strategically placed, plush area rug will add an extra layer of warmth for when your feet first hit the floor on cold mornings.
The living room. If your living room has a fireplace, call a professional and have it properly cleaned to remove any creosote build-up. A professional will also be able to remove any nests or debris that might have settled in the chimney during the warmer months. As in the bedroom, remove sheer drapery and replace it with heavier, heat-saving options. Check your windows for drafts and take care of any repairs that need to be made to framework. Unpack or treat yourself to some soft and wooly throw blankets to nestle under during the winter months.
The kitchen. The kitchen is often a prime area for drafts, so do a thorough check before winter winds find their way in. Key areas to investigate include around appliances, which connect to outside plumbing, like your dishwasher, cabinets and windows. Cozy-up tile floors often used in kitchens with the addition of a few non-skid kitchen mats. Make sure to select the kind that are machine washable to make life easier. And remember to be mindful of energy usage in the kitchen during the winter months. In the mood to bake? Let your oven multi-task and pop in a casserole for the week ahead, as well.
The bathroom. The lure of a long, hot bath or shower is tempting during the chilly months of winter, so be careful not to let your bathroom become a drain on your energy bill. Add a kitchen timer to your bathroom shelf to prevent baths and showers from extending beyond an allotted timeframe. Act like a five-star hotel and invest in a plush robe or two and make sure they’re conveniently located in your bathroom. This will lessen the pain of getting out of that warm shower in the middle of winter. Add larger bath mats with more depth to help warm cold bathroom floors, along with a couple of spa-sized towels. It may be time to rethink your bathroom window-coverings, as well. Thermal shades will help keep bathrooms warmer in winter and provide more privacy as foliage falls.
With the above strategies, your home will be a warm and inviting haven—as well as an efficient one—all winter long.
