Summer is just around the corner, and after a difficult start to the year hopefully the warmer months will start to bring some respite. I’m sure everyone is looking forward to getting back to normality (whatever that will be)! Expect families coming together, plenty of celebrations, and hopefully an exciting outlook on the future. As well as enjoying some basic freedom and heading to places you have missed, I’m sure a lot of us will also want to host friends in our homes.
An easing of current restrictions could be made via a ‘family and friends’ plan, according to a Metro report. This would see the home used for hosting your loved ones heading into the warmer months. To be the hostess-with-the-mostess, you could start to think about a few tasks around the house that you can do now whilst we are still in isolation. If you have a bit of time on your hands and want to ensure your house is ready for enjoying in the summer months, there are a few things you could do to prepare. Here are a few ideas for home DIY to tick off the list whilst in isolation.
Paint Now
We Love Home explains how the summer months are too hot to paint your fences and sheds. Instead, getting it done now before the hotter weather arrives is much better. The winter may have left outdoor timbers looking tired and peeling. Harsh winters can do this, and if left, water can get into the wot and rot it. If you can get out in your garden, now is the time to give any wood a lick of paint. This will offer protection from the sun, and will brighten up your outdoor space.
Service Your Heating System
The long summer months cannot come soon enough. Sometimes those light nights and nice weather bring that lovely feeling that they could go on forever. Unfortunately they most certainly will not! Summer will give way to autumn before we know it. If you want to be super prepared, now is the right time to get your heating system checked. If you leave it until winter, finding a problem when you go to turn it back on could mean waiting for it to be fixed when you need to use it. HomeServe covers how getting your boiler serviced regularly can help keep your heating system working as it should, even through the months of minimal usage. After winter and spring, your heating will have had maximum use; so get it checked now and be comfortable that you will be good to go once winter rolls around.
Clean the Gutter
The summer months can bring rain too; and an overflowing gutter is definitely not something we fancy dealing with! Falling leaves and nesting birds are just a couple of reasons your gutter could get blocked, but leaving it to build-up could cause a real problem. Grab the ladders and make sure your gutter is clear, or get someone in to clear it for you; once we are back to normal, of course. If you don’t Angies List warns that it could lead to much wider structural problems caused by water ingress, such as mould and rot.
Clear the Kitchen Cupboards
It might not feel like the most glamorous task, but this is a great time to clean out your cupboards. It’s one of the easier jobs to do and will help prepare your kitchen. Decluttering and make you feel much more organised. Take everything out, check sell-by dates, and make sure you give the inside a good clean. Bugs and insects are on the rise during summer, with The Kitchn explaining how grain beetles are one such pest to keep an eye out for. Be ruthless too, if that can of tomato soup has been with you longer than a family pet, it is probably time to get rid. You might also want to turn your hand to a bit of baking whilst at home; if so be sure to check out my Healthy No Bake Brownies for a great recipe.
LL x
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