Depending on where you live, a sprinkling of snow might have already coated the ground. That’s true for a lot of people who woke up in the Highlands this morning. If you live a little further south, your grass has probably been given a layer of icing. Meanwhile, in the south end of England, there’s nothing but chilly showers. Still, this change in the weather means that it’s time for everyone to start preparing their home for winter. If you don’t ready your home for the season of snow and ice, you could face expensive costs, unlivable conditions and crazy problems. So, let’s think about all the little changes we need to make to our home as winter approaches.

Clean Up The Garage

Has your garage has become a mess of empty boxes, items that don’t fit in the rest of the home and general rubbish? If it's piled up to the point where there's no space for the car then it's a bit of an issue! Even if you don't use the garage much throughout the year and prefer to keep your car on the drive, it's worth getting in the habit of putting it away in the winter. You'll spend less time de-icing in the mornings, and the garage can help protect the vehicle too.

Say Goodbye To Your Garden

Chances are you won't be using your garden much for a while. Unless you have a greenhouse, since getting anything to grow anywhere else during the colder months can be a challenge. There are a few things you can do to help your garden to withstand the winter. Make sure rainwater is draining properly through gutters which will help to prevent standing water turn to ice, or cause leaks to your home. Make sure outdoor drains aren’t blocked and insulate your outdoor tap. Exposed pipes are prone to bursting due to the constant expanding and freezing. You could turn the water supply off to it completely to added peace of mind. 

Stock Up For Winter

It’s unlikely that you’ll get so much snow you won’t be able to leave the home. But you could be hit with any number of other problems, from a power outage to a nasty storm. Any of these issues could mean that you're stuck in the house, so supplies are essential. If you use a log burning fire, make sure you're stocked up with plenty of fire wood. Having a well stocked storecupboard is useful all year round since it can help you save money on food. But it's particularly useful over winter, in case for any reason you're not able to get out to the shops.

Shop Till You Drop!

Black Friday is nearly here so get ready for some bargain shopping! You can use this as a chance to stock up on any bits and pieces you need for the home over winter- new bedding, duvets, cosy throws and scented candles- and grab some things for Christmas too. You can fully stock your house with everything you need at a fraction of what you would usually pay. 

Are you prepared for the upcoming winter?