January-with its ice, rain, and unfriendly weather-may seem like down time for home maintenance. After all, who wants to take care of the house when it’s freezing outside? But January is actually home maintenance primetime: a whole month when it’s vital that you make sure that your house is running well while you still can.
1 – KEEP WATER FROM WREAKING HAVOC
WHAT TO DO:
- Take a walk around your property, inside and out, and look for puddles, rotting wood, peeling paint, or water stains.
- Get gutters cleaned and clear of ice and leaves, so that rain doesn’t cause much more expensive problems in your home later.
- Remove leaves and debris from window wells to prevent rotten wood, peeling paint, and moldy plaster.
2 – DON’T LET YOUR LANDSCAPE GO WILD
WHAT TO DO:
- Lay a gritty, ice-melting material on walkways, steps, and drives to provide traction and keep water from freezing. Try calcium chloride for an anti-ice trick that cleans up easily and doesn’t damage your property.
- Rake away leaves and twigs to allow spring rains to reach your lawn’s root system.
- Grab your garden tools and open up the soil. Plant conifers, shrubs, and bare-root roses and fruit trees.
3 – DE-CLUTTER YOUR LIFE
WHAT TO DO:
- Before you clean, organize. You’ll be amazed at how much cleaner your home feels when you’ve taken the time to optimize your space.
- Take advantage of cabin fever to focus on those cleaning details that are usually neglected, and you won’t need to think about them when you’d rather be outside.
- Install a closet system
