Winter may in fact be the season to tuck in and hunker down indoors to stay warm and, it’s also an excellent time to maintain your home. Here are a few lightweight projects for which your lifestyle will appreciate the time and TLC.
Give your kitchen cabinets a facelift.
A fresh coat of paint gives well-maintained cabinets a brand-new look. Match cabinets to countertops with a neutral color like white, beige, or gray. New hardware (handles, knobs, and hinges) completes the transformation beautifully.
Consider Crown Molding.
Crown molding upgrades the aesthetic of rooms without performing a major renovation. Typically placed where a wall meets the ceiling, it is also stunning for entryways, cabinets, and mantels.
Organize the garage.
Now is the time to possibly organize this prime catchall area once and for all, or at least to improve the space for now. Place strategic shelves or bins and install hooks to store your most important items, and consider donating gently used goods to charities or shelters.
Upgrade your insulation.
A cold draft in your home can chill you to your core, so call a contractor to ensure your insulation is ready for the season if you think there may be an issue. An insulation upgrade can help you save up to 15 percent on your heating and cooling bills.
Check / replace safety devices.
According to the Red Cross, winter months suffer the most house fires. Ensure you have smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms outside of each bedroom and on each level of your home. Learn and be mindful of replacement recommendations for your own devices, and consider a smart smoke and carbon monoxide detector that will send notifications to your phone.
Update indoor and outdoor fixtures.
A very simple project to complete is replacing any older, tired lighting fixtures to give rooms and even porches an all-new personality. Replacing mismatched light switches and outlet covers with neutral styles creates a cohesive appearance throughout your space.
Increase kitchen storage.
A few ideas for storing kitchen essentials more efficiently:
- A pegboard with hooks or pot rack to hang pots, pans, utensils;
- A magnetic knife strip;
- Shelf risers inside cabinets and pantry.
Switch to LED light bulbs.
Switching to LED light bulbs can help reduce energy consumption. Per the experts, LED bulbs use 75 percent less energy and last more than 25 times longer than traditional light bulbs.
Photo by Michael Browning on Unsplash
