Guest Post –
How is the end of the year almost here?! I cannot believe it. Kids are back to school, the early signs of fall are popping up, and I have already seen a ton of Halloween (especially now that October is here!) and even Christmas decorations in the store. Crazy, right? The last part of the year is always a whirlwind. While it is the happiest time of the year, in my opinion, it is also the most hectic. Between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s – there is a lot of traveling, running around, and working.
Even though it’s hectic, I still love it and I am so ready to get started on all of my fall decorations and tasks. Some of you might be stressed about all of the things you have to do to prepare for these holidays. Yes, you need to work, but you also more than likely have family (and maybe friends) coming to visit for the holidays, especially if you have kids. But, don’t stress because I am here to make it easier on you! Today, I want to share with you a short checklist to help you prepare your home for the cooler months to come. This will ensure that your home is ready for guests and also protected and prepared for the upcoming cold weather. Let me know what you think! Here are some tips to prep your home for fall and winter –
Start with your Gutters and Faucets
Let’s talk about your gutters first. Over the next few months, you will more than likely have quite a bit of leaves, acorns, and other small objects falling off of your trees. It is very easy for these things to get caught in your gutters and if they get too clogged, it could potentially cause damage to your home. This is why it is so important to make sure they are clean. I recommend cleaning them once before all of the leaves fall and then after they all fall, as well, if this is your first time cleaning them. If you routinely keep them clean, I would suggest only checking on them after the leaves fall, so that you do not have to do too much work.
Another exterior home task that you need to do before the cold weather hits is to winterize your faucets. A few years back, when we first moved into our home, I properly winterized my faucets but they still ended up busting after I turned the water back on in the spring. So, keep in mind that even if you do winterize, there is a slight chance of your pipes bursting anyway. This is extremely rare, though, so I would not worry about it if you are winterizing properly. My case was odd because the previous homeowners did a temporary fix on some pipes in the garage wall (that were not insulated). It was very unfortunate, but it worked out in the end.
Learn from my mistakes and start with your gutters and faucets as soon as the weather cools down this fall (aka now, haha!).
Fall Landscaping Upkeep
Now, most people think about landscaping for the summer months, but fall landscaping is just as important. Fall landscaping, to you, might mean planting fall flowers, mowing as needed, and raking up leaves. It could also mean mulching, getting rid of limbs that have fallen in your yard, and so much more. If this is too much of an undertaking for you, or if you’d prefer to let a professional take over your landscaping needs, Sabba’s Landscaping, Lawn, Pavers, and Fencing is an awesome company that excels at landscaping in Monmouth County. Obviously, based on their name, they also do pavers and fencing, as well, but one of my favorite services of theirs is their fire pits and outdoor fireplaces. They do BEAUTIFUL work. They say, “Sabba’s Landscaping is a well-qualified company that honors itself on customer service, quality, and reliability allowing our customers to feel more at ease. We provide professional lawn & landscaping maintenance and care at reasonable prices for residential and commercial customers. Our mission is to serve our clients to the best of our ability; by keeping up to date with the newest equipment, designs, and technology. We strive for our customers to receive the best care guaranteed!” They have a 24-hour emergency contact available, they offer 6 years of combined experience in residential and commercial property maintenance, and their constant communication with their customers is top-notch. Plus, their reviews are amazing!
Think about your interior temps & what you can do
While I like cooler temperatures, I know not everyone does and even if you do, I am sure you do not want your home to be freezing cold. A few great ways to help keep heat in your home are to reverse your ceiling fans and focus on your windows. Caulk any holes that you have around your windows, think about installing window films, and install big curtains to keep as much cold air as possible out of your home.
Decorate
Now, to me, the best part of all is decorating! I love making my home feel cozy and warm. This includes adding blankets, non-toxic candles, fall decor such as pumpkins, etc. etc. all around the house. There are so many different fall decorations and I just can’t wait to fill my house with some of them!
