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Winter may not seem like the secure time of year to bug out a nursing home labor , but it ’s the perfect chance to transform parts of the home ’s midland with serious upgrade potential . In the colder month , we ’re sting inside anyway , and without vacation , out-of-door activities , and other warm - weather condition distractions , we can often accomplish more in a inadequate amount of time .
“ Winter is a majuscule time to focus on indoor projects that improve comfort and functionality , ” tell Margaret Kemmeter , kitchen and bathtub designer at refurbishment contractorSims . ” With the cold weather , outdoor projects usually take a back seat and make it easier for us to channelise our vigor and resources toward meliorate the interiors of the home . ”
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Let ’s face up it : You postulate something to do besides binge - watch the latest hot serial on Netflix . Get those DIY juice flow by working on one or more of these plate project you could — and maybe should — tackle during the winter .
Done-in-a-Day Updates
Some deeply satisfying home update can be nail in a undivided afternoon , or even just an 60 minutes . If the projection involves switch out items like light fixtures or drawer pulls , make certain to take exact measuring . It ’s extremely frustrating and a bountiful time delay to have to go back to the family improvement center or return an on-line order that does n’t fit in good order .
1.Make sure your smoke detectors are working.
agree to the National Fire Protection Association ( NFPA ) , in 2023 one firm fire was reported to a fire department every 95 seconds . December is the peak calendar month for sign of the zodiac fires , which is why you should kick off these colder month by pass judgment and upgrading your place ’s safety feature article , such as skunk detector and carbon monoxide detectors .
Smoke and C monoxide sensing element should be essay monthly and replace every 5 to 7 long time . yield aid to the expiration dates on your detectors , and when it ’s time to replace them , upgrade to a newer example with better guard features . debate swapping the previous units out for a compounding hummer detector / carbon monoxide sensing element , like the X - Sense , the better Overall achiever in ourhands - on tested guide to the best smoke detectors .
2.Refresh your home’s lighting design or fixtures.
“ Shorter daytime can leave your base feeling dark and dreary . Adding light enhancements can better both functionality and modality , ” saysSwannell Thompson , a handyperson withFrontdoor , a service that connects homeowners with skilled tradespeople . Whether you swap out one light regular , tally layers of battery - powered or stop up - in fixtures , or just update light bulbs , you’re able to guard off those early sunsets with lighting that can improve illumination — and your spirits .
“ you could upgrade to layered light , such as under - console lights or dimmable fixtures that can instantly transform the mood of any space while also better functionality , ” says Kemmeter . study install stamp battery - powered slip illume likethis dimmable and ego - adhesive LED strip lightunder cabinets or around your favorite wall art . To add a layer of visible light in the dining room or family room without wiring , trybattery - powered sconces that figure out for up to 72 hourson one billing .
Be certain to choose energy - efficient LED mending or bulbs in a colour temperature that suit the mood or use of each room . For lesson , light bulb with a color temperature under 3000 K emit a soft , warmer light source , while a color temperature greater than 5000 K is crisp and helpful for reading , craft , or other detailed Falco subbuteo . Bulbs with a color temperature between those two are well suitable for kitchen andhome office kindling .
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
3.Beef up your home tech and security system.
With temperatures dipping downcast and sky bringing nose candy and sleet , winter is not idealistic for installing tech feature or security measure cameras outdoors . Instead , focalize on enhance your tech plot indoors and start out using your home plate ’s virtual assistant for more than just ordering potty paper or mark off the weather prognosis .
“ you’re able to also install or promote wise nursing home systems like thermostats and inflammation as well as security cameras , which improve the functionality and comfort of your habitation . fresh thermostats are great for sustaining optimal indoor temperatures and muscularity efficiency , ” says Jennifer Rogers , designer at BKC Kitchen and Bath .
4.Upgrade your kitchen cabinet pulls.
If you spend your winter cooped up in the kitchen , cooking big meal for family and cookie for Santa , you may be getting bore with your threadbare - looking kitchen . telephone dial up the style — without spending a muckle of time or money — by replacing outdated draftsman pulls and thickening on your locker . Consider modern puff in on - trendmatte blackamoor , like this 10 - multitude from Amerdeco .
Pro tip : Carefully measure your current pulls before take new ones . Ordering pulls that fit the existing hole will save you from ingest to drill raw hole and take and finish the old ones .
5.Swap out bathroom faucets.
The mess and disruption of a kitchen or bathroom redevelopment may be more than you want to deal with in the winter . alternatively , focus on something small that make a big impact — for instance , the kitchen or bathroom faucet . Whether it ’s woefully out of style or suffer from severe water , rough use of goods and services , and the passage of time , that faucet may be good for replacement .
A fresh faucet not only refresh the space but , if you select well , can also help husband urine and carry through money . This labor takes no more than an afternoon and is perfect for tackling in the cold-blooded calendar month , particularly before vacation Guest arrive . ( Ourtested guide to the good bath faucetshas terrific options for all type of sinks and budget . )
6.Test your water.
If you ’ve never quiz your water , winter is a full time of year to make it encounter . “ More than halfof Americans have never prove their body of water . Hard water negatively impacts your home by causing mineral buildup or scaling in plumbing , fixtures , and water heaters , driving substantial fixing and premature replacement costs , ” say Chris Counahan , chairperson of home betterment companyLeaf menage .
you may do it yourself with a kit likethe Safe Home Drinking Water Test Kit , which bring in the top spot in our research guide to water mental testing kit . just send in your water sample , which is then tested at an EPA - attest research lab .
Once you ’ve receive a complete analytic report of your water ’s quality , you ’ll know what to appear for when tell on for thebest whole - planetary house body of water filterfor your home . And you ’ll be confidently ready for your spring gardening .
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Pro wind : Testing is just the first stair . To ameliorate the quality of your water , Counahan says , “ It is extremely recommend to have a weewee expert evaluate and test your piddle to provide a customise water supply handling system to converge your unique body of water needs . ”
7.Declutter closets and storage areas.
Americans are proficient at collect excess stuff . Almost one-half of us report that our menage are littered with hooey we do n’t take any longer . One in seven ca n’t habituate at least one room in our home because it ’s fill up with rarely used item , and nearly two out of five admit they have n’t decluttered in more than a year . Before vacation gift - giving add to the clutter , it ’s time to post the extra poppycock packing .
“ Winter is a heavy clock time to take on indoor spaces that may have become disorganized over the class . Plus , decluttering can make your home sense more spacious and manageable , ” say Thompson of Frontdoor . “ Go through closets , garage , and attics to donate or throw out idle items . view instal shelving or storage bins to make a more functional scheme for your belongings . ”
8.Organize the laundry room.
Though it ’s central to a family ’s solar day - to - day functioning , the laundry room might not be at the top of the lean when it comes to organisation and fashion . Make exercise of a winter weekend when you ’re stuck indoors to refresh and reorganize the laundry room . Add some floating shelf or cubbies and a hanging rod for clothes . Even just a thorough cleaning , an infusion of baskets , and some well - placed lure can help turn it into a spot where you ’ll in reality enjoy drop time .
9.Check the HVAC system.
“ Your heating system is wreak overtime in the wintertime . Regular maintenance can unfold its life-time and control it operates efficiently , ” enjoin Thompson . This is a labor that should n’t be delayed , as it can help improve indoor air character and help you invalidate costly and inconvenient repairs or replacements .
“ A one - metre HVAC criminal maintenance call be about $ 99 on average , but repairs and replacement costs alter greatly base on what ’s needed , ” says Courtney Klosterman , house insights expert at home insurance companyHippo . “ In accession to minimizing wear and tear , even checks and maintenance assist your HVAC organisation maneuver smoothly and sustain good tune circulation in your home , ” say Klosterman . Replace the filtersyourself or hire a pro to make clean the ducts or inspect the furnace .
Klosterman add : “ Getting everything squared away before you need it can keep your home warm and muscularity - efficient in the wintertime . ”
Photo: Pavel Adashkevich / Getty Images
Done-in-a-Weekend Upgrades
Some base - melioration labor are more tangled and may command a full weekend or more to discharge . If you are n’t an experient DIYer , or are n’t positive about your skills in any of the follow areas , consider hiring a local remodeler to take on these project .
10.Seal drafty windows and doors.
“ Energy Star estimates that homeowners can pull through an average of 15 percentage on heat and cooling costs by adding insulation and air - sealing their nursing home , ” says Klosterman .
Since “ moth-eaten bill of exchange can sneak in through poorly sealed window and door , making your plate colder and drive up heating price , give weather strip , caulk gaps , or install order of payment stoppers on doors , ” advises Thompson . “ think using plastic window insulation kits to add an extra layer of protection . ”
11.Update your kitchen countertop.
In the winter , prepping for parties and fellowship gatherings keeps many of us in the kitchen more than common . During those long hours in the kitchen , you may be more potential to find damage , stained , or drab countertops . Or peradventure you ’ve been craving a quiet , cool Earth’s surface for twine out dough for cookies or pies . as luck would have it , wintertime is a all right time to treat yourself to a countertop upgrade . ( Tip : Quartz and stonekitchen countertop materialsare ideal for dough roll . )
Beyond functionality , replacing the countertop can make a huge impact on your kitchen ’s appearance , and the job does n’t require a ton of kitchen downtime ( though there may be some lag sentence between value for the new countertop and the actual install date ) . Note that a countertop swap - out is usually substantially palm by a pro , which have in mind you ’ll have more time to watch holiday movies with the family .
12.Give your fireplace a facelift.
“ If you have a open fireplace , look at giving it a facelift , ” enunciate Rogers of BKC Kitchen and Bath . First , take a moment to sit in front of the hearth and calculate it over with fresh eye . Is it so dated that even Santa would call it retro ?
Maybe the fireplace would gain from a more modern chromaticity , such as Tricorn Black from Sherwin - Williams , or a sleek trendy mantel ? Installing aFrench prim surroundcan transform an entire way from “ nineties suburban fine ” into a romantic retreat . While you ’re at it , do n’t forget to update thefireplace screen , too .
13.Paint the walls a fresh new color.
Many homeowners care to take on national painting projects during bounce or summer , but winter may be a better time to change your wall colouration . That same juiceless interior aura that depletes the moisture in your skin during winter can aid a fresh coating of paint dry more quickly . “ Paint can refresh any elbow room and enhance the overall aesthetic , ” says Thompson of Frontdoor . “ Whether it ’s a full repaint or just tonic trim , it ’s an investing that light up your quad . ”
Be sure to prefer a no- or downhearted - VOC paint and pick a soft daytime for paint so you palpate more comfortable keeping windows open for proper airing . Even when using no - VOC key , painting without adequate ventilation can cause headaches and respiratory government issue .
14.Replace worn-out carpeting.
“ Winter weather can make carpet more moist and conduct to mold , ” says Klosterman . If your carpet have look better day , the first few months of the year are prime for replacing hackneyed , ripped , or bag carpeting . You ’ll likely even save money because carpeting damage are usually lower during the first tail of the year .
If substitution is n’t an option , taste scavenge : “ Proactively cleaning and protecting your carpet can help keep weird home smells and an expensive replacement since carpets can cost $ 1 to $ 4 per square foot , ” aver Klosterman . “ For a 160 - square - foot animation elbow room ( 16 feet by 10 infantry ) , you may ask to ante up $ 640 to supersede your carpet — not include the cost of installing . ”
Plus , after supercede — or even strip — the carpet , the way will find cozier and the carpet may stand up better to the rest of the snow-clad season .
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15.Insulate the attic and crawl space.
Protecting you from the frigidity is one of your household ’s primary functions . One way of ensure that your internal spaces stick as warm as possible , even in the coldest atmospheric condition , is to reinsulate your attic or crawl space .
“ A home update that is bright to do during the wintertime is to lend or exchange the insularity in your attic , ” say Andrew Legge , CEO ofHavelock Wool , manufacturing business of gamey - performance wool insulation . “ Most sinewy insulations are small - integrity fibre that part down over time . add up more insulation will serve it retain heat , promoting free energy efficiency . Replacing older or damaged insulation will dramatically improve the benefits . ”
When compared to other home improvements that just heighten one outer space , insulating the atticis a relatively well-situated project that can have a big impact on comfort in every room .
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
16.Upgrade kitchen cabinet fronts or interiors.
“ Another excellent winter project is upgrading cabinetwork or adding custom storage solutions , ” says Kemmeter of Sims . “ Opt for pull - out shelves or drawer organizers in the kitchen to increase storage and keep the space tidy during the bustling vacation season . ”
Pro tip : agenda kitchen updates for completion at least 2 weeks before a assemblage , even if you think the projection should take just a few hours . That way , if you need to clean up more supplying to land up or if something unexpected pops up , you wo n’t be stuck with a half - terminate kitchen upgrade while you ’re nurse node .
17.Put in a new kitchen backsplash.
The cold , coloured sidereal day of wintertime make many of us crave colorful , fond spaces that distract us from the dreariness outside . A newkitchen backsplashis an excellent chance to amp up the colouring material and playfulness indoors . This project packs a hefty ocular poke and can be a productive activeness for a bleak January weekend .
Pro tip : study using atile adhesive matto make the project a little moment easier .
This Is the class for a Kitchen Renovation
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
Whether you ’re selling or staying , everyone can get something out of a kitchen update . Learn why we consider this renovation the Most Valuable Project of 2025 and how to remain on budget .
Photo: Theresa Clement, MyFixItUpLife
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