With Thanksgiving approaching and the winter holidays around the corner, there are things to look forward to (and prepare for) this time of year — even with the adjustments you may be making because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Here’s the good news: these five home maintenance to-do’s can be easily accomplished over a single weekend… or less.
Get a jump on holiday prep. If you plan to have a special holiday meal, take a bit of time now to prepare a few things in advance. Launder and iron the fancy linens (roll up freshly ironed linens on old wrapping paper tubes to prevent wrinkles), drop off the kitchen knives for a professional sharpening or polish some silver — you’ll thank yourself later.
Deep-clean bathrooms. Aim to schedule a deep cleaning of the bathrooms so a quick surface wipe-down will be all you’ll need to get things looking spotless again during the holidays.
Check bathtub caulk and repair if needed. While cleaning the bathroom, notice the condition of the caulk around the tub. Cracked or worn out caulk can allow water to seep into your home’s framing. If you spot a problem area, get it replaced as soon as possible.
Inspect the home’s exterior, and then cover gaps. Cover any gaps you find around the exterior of your home that may be large enough for a mouse to enter — it doesn’t take much space for these little critters to sneak in. Cover exterior vents with hardware cloth, and attach door sweeps to the bottoms of exterior doors to stop furry creatures from squeezing in when the weather turns chilly.
Remove the last of the fall leaves. Aim to fit in one final raking and gutter-cleaning session once the last leaves have fallen — but before the first snow.
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