When the temperatures drop and the winter storms send us all inside to hunker down, these things to do at home in winter will keep you busy, add value to your home and give you a jump on spring cleaning.
Simple Winter Home Projects
By knocking out your indoor to-dos during the winter season, you’re prepared to turn your full attention to outdoor tasks come spring. Here are six relatively easy household projects you can tackle this season.
Update or Add Insulation
A poorly insulated home can become costly during wintertime. The more cold air that comes in, the harder your heating system has to work to keep your home warm and cozy. Save energy and money by finding the holes and gaps around your walls and floors, then filling them in with an energy-efficient material like spray foam, which expands exponentially upon application to take up space and create the desired barrier and block air.
Organize Your Closets
You know those shelves full of shoeboxes and jam-packed coat racks that you’ve been meaning to sort through since you moved into the place? There’s no better time than the present to get it done. Make a plan to sell or donate unused items, invest in new storage bins or baskets to keep things clutter-free for years to come, and take advantage of the opportunity to inventory your possessions.
Add More Lighting
It’s amazing what a difference good lighting can make, especially in the dark winter months. Level up your home’s ambiance by swapping out harsh bulbs and light fixtures for soft, warm lighting, and consider installing dimmer switches to control the level of brightness throughout the day.
Update Kitchen Cabinet Hardware
One of the easiest yet most impactful updates you can make to your kitchen is a hardware swap. By replacing worn and dated handles and pulls with something fresh and modern, you’ll breathe new life into the entire space.
Configure Ceiling Fans
To save on heating costs, make sure the ceiling fan blades move clockwise during the colder months to force the warm air trapped up at the ceiling down to the living areas where you really need it.
Upgrade Your Thermostat
A smart thermostat can help you save on your energy bill, as well as control humidity levels in your home, thanks to cool to dry settings that utilize your A/C to help dehumidify your home. When the thermostat detects a certain amount of humid air it will turn your air conditioning unit on. If the humidity level isn’t changing, it will turn the A/C off.
Schedule a SuperCheck
As you make updates and repairs, remember to set some time aside with your Farm Bureau agent to review your current insurance coverage. Your agent will paint a picture of the role insurance plays in your life to help identify potential gaps and available discounts along the way.