It’s getting cold now, and the snow is on its way. If you aren’t a fan of winter sports and activities, you are going to be spending more time indoors than at any other time of the year. It can get depressing just wishing away the winter and hoping for spring to arrive.
Wouldn’t it be nice to make the best of your time inside and make positive changes in time for spring? You’re going to be inside anyway. You may as well have some accomplishments to show for it. Take a look around your house and see what spaces need your attention. Here are a few things you can do to beat the winter doldrums and get your house ready for spring.
1. Get Rid of Things
Decluttering your house will give you more room and make your home and your mind clearer. Get rid of clothes and other household items you no longer use. Don’t waste time saving clothes that no longer fit. That will only depress you. Donate them to charity, and be happy someone else might be able to use them. Do it before January 1st, and you can write off the value of the items from your taxable earnings.
For the things you are going to keep, put like with like. Don’t go insane trying to tackle the whole house or even a whole floor. One basement is not the same as another’s. It may require focusing on one shelf, one drawer or one square yard of floor space at a time. Try hard to get rid of things you haven’t used in over a year. Yes, there may be a time you will need that item in the future, but then you can treat yourself to something new.
You will appreciate your things more when they are organized, and you will probably forget all about the things you get rid of. Enjoy your newly freed space while it lasts.
2. Paint Your Walls
Painting is an easy, inexpensive way to bring new life to any room. If you have been thinking about an eye-popping bright color for a certain room, do it. You can always repaint it back to whatever dingy white beige it was before.
Winter is the perfect time to repaint. The air is drier, and the bright colors will lift your mood. A freshly painted room smells new and clean. Just watch out, because it gets addicting. Your new color may make other rooms’ walls appear drab and spark new painting projects.
3. Get a New Garage Door
Take a look at your garage door. It’s something we take for granted and don’t really think much about. But it’s the widest opening in your house. When it’s cold, air rushes in and permeates through the walls of your house. If your garage door is in poor repair, it may be letting in cold air, which you have to pay to heat.
Upgrading to an insulated garage door can greatly improve your home’s exterior and can save on heating bills. It will help you maintain a constant temperature inside your garage, whether it has climate control or not. It will also give you a better buffer zone between the outside air and the outer walls of your living space. When making your decision, be sure to factor in function as well as fashion, as this will likely be a one-time purchase.
4. Replace Your Flooring
Do you have a room with worn-out, ugly flooring? Winter is a great time to put down carpeting. Carpet will make your room warmer and more comfortable to be in. Like a new paint job, it can change the look and feel of the room completely.
If you don’t want carpeting, you can also look into DIY floor tiles or laminates. Cork flooring is an environmentally friendly product that is easy to install yourself. It is a renewable product, as it is harvested from a live tree that regrows the removed cork. Avoid cork flooring if you have little kids or dogs, as it is easily scratched.
Bamboo flooring is another option. Bamboo is cut down, but the remaining roots regrow new bamboo. It makes for attractive, environmentally friendly flooring.
If you have an old house with worn-out linoleum floors, take a peek under them. You may be surprised to find hardwood flooring beneath. You can sand this old wood floor and refinish it. It will look brand new. Just don’t underestimate how much time this will take. The good news is you will likely only have to do it once.
5. Rejuvenate Your Bathroom
You get used to your bathroom caulk being black and your grout being cracked and full of mildew. Take a look around and see what can be replaced without tearing everything apart. Try to match your grout color and fill in cracks and crevices with a new layer. There may be spots you have to dig out before you replace it. Same for your caulk. You can re-caulk over needed areas, but there may be spots that have to be pulled or cut out before you redo it.
Look at your walls and ceiling. Do they need attention? Choose a new color, and refresh the walls and ceiling with a mildew-resistant paint. Your bathroom will look and smell cleaner, and you will get to appreciate your work every day.
Most of these things you can do yourself, but don’t bite off more than you can chew. There are many professionals you can call on to upgrade and redo parts of your house without having to pull your hair out. Yes, it will cost you money, but you will at least maintain your sanity. Whatever route you choose, in the end, you will be much happier with the improvements in your home. It’s a great way to make the winter pass and to approach spring cleaning ahead of the game.
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