January is the ideal time to set the tone for a well-maintained and harmonious home in the coming months. From seasonal maintenance to interior organization, our January homeowner to-do checklist is crafted to help you start the new year on the right foot and start planning your 2024 home improvement projects.
1. Pack up Christmas decorations
This is a great time to sort through your Christmas decor. Think about investing in storage solutions that will keep everything safe and organized. Store your lights carefully coiled to make hanging them easier for next time.
2. Wipe down kitchen
After a season of cooking and entertaining, give the kitchen surfaces a good clean. Wipe down cabinets, door hardware and the backsplash. Remove the accumulated grease from your range hood and replace or wash the filter.
3. Deep clean fridge
Remove everything from the fridge including shelves and drawers. Throw out old food and condiments. Wash the shelves, drawers, fridge walls, bottom and door with hot soapy water, rinse with clean water and dry with a clean towel. Work quickly so that food can go back in.
4. Get organized
Clean out your closets and purge what you no longer use. Remove everything from the closet and vacuum the empty space. Sort through and start a pile for donating to charity and a pile for garbage. Only put back in your closet things you will actually use or wear.
5. Replace furnace filter
Keep your furnace running efficiently by regularly changing the filter. How often will depend on the filter. Filters range from 1 to 5 inches in depth. Generally, thicker filters need changing less often. Consult your furnace manual for manufacturer recommendations.
6. Inspect plumbing pipes
Hopefully you will have already prepared your water pipes for winter. As the temperature drops, regularly inspect your pipes and check for cracks and possible drips throughout the winter. Catching a leak when it’s small can save big dollars in damage.
7. Check batteries
Winter storms can cause the power to go out for an extended time so it’s a good idea to restock your battery supply. Make sure you have plenty of the right sized batteries for flashlights, lanterns, gas fireplaces, weather radios and medical devices.
8. Emergency kits
Having an emergency kit is important for short term survival for both the home and car this time of year. Make sure you have the essentials for you and your family’s needs. Keep the house kit in a handy place known to everyone in the household.
9. Create a home inventory
For insurance purposes, make an inventory including descriptive lists, photos and video of your home’s contents. Include sales receipts, purchase contracts, and appraisals. An up-to-date inventory will help your insurance claim be settled faster.
10. Inspect house
Inspect the exterior of your house after a winter storm. Make sure your roof, gutters and downspouts are all in working order. If you find an ice dam along your roof, remove with hot water. Regularly check your basement walls and floor for leaks during a thaw.
11. Wash blankets
Blankets, and decorative throws keep you warm in the winter months and usually get used daily. Take the time to wash all of them. Check the laundry label for washing instructions. If there is no label, wash them on the gentle cycle in cold water and dry with low heat.
12. Rotate mattress
To keep your mattress in great condition, most require rotating 180 degrees once or twice a year to spread out the daily wear and extend the lifespan. Some mattresses require flipping as well depending on how it’s made so check with the manufacturer.
13. Organize documents
Most things are paperless these days but there are still some papers you need to keep like manuals and instructions for various products. Keep them all in one place and include receipts. If you really don’t want to store them, scan them or download the manual online.
14. Outdoor safety
Keep the walkways around your house clear of snow and monitor for ice build-up. Use de-icer, sand or kitty litter on icy patches. If ice is really thick in spots, use an ice chopper and break it up. It’s dark early so replace burned out bulbs in your exterior lights.
15. Tree limbs
Watch for heavy snow buildup on tree limbs. The added weight from heavy wet snow can cause tree limbs to break. Use a long handle broom to gently brush snow off. You can also lightly shake tree but be careful not to cause damage to brittle branches.
16. Plan upcoming home projects
Decide on any home projects you’d like to accomplish this year. Start with a wish list and a budget, then start planning. Thorough preparation and planning makes home projects go much smoother and costly mistakes can be avoided.
When you’re ready to transform your home, visit your local TIMBER MART and inquire about our design and installation services.
