Bob Vila’s 10 “Must Do” Projects for February

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Though it ’s the brusque month of the year , there ’s still lot to be done in February , including organizing the subject of drawers and closets , and preparing last year ’s taxation and this year ’s garden . Warm weather will be here before we know it , which is why now ’s also the time to amend window screens , light garden putz , and ready for another season of outdoor animation .

1. Plan Your Garden

While it is too former to sow a garden in most parts of the country , it ’s not too early to startle planning one . Now is a great meter to order source catalogs and shop online retailers and start choosing the flowers and veggie for this summertime ’s garden beds . embark on seeds indoorsin February will give them just enough sentence to stock and suppurate for transplanting come planting season . Be sure to check thefirst and last icing datesfor yourUSDA hardiness zoneso that you ’ll clock your starts correctly .

2. Store More in the Kitchen

However big or small our kitchen may be , they never seem to have enough storage space , or enough horizontal space on which to meal prep . Take back your counter infinite by thinking vertically : Hang a pegboardon which you could corral pecker and pans , or build gamy shelf ( or utilize the infinite above kitchen cabinet ) to stow small or less often used items .

3. Turn Your Mind Toward Taxes

While you ’re in an organizing figure of thinker , start amass banking concern and investment statements , charitable contribution receipt , and everything else you or your accountant will need to prepare your tax . This is particularly authoritative if you sold or purchased a home last year , or if you made update to your home plate that gentle you to a revenue enhancement citation or subtraction .

4. Clean Your Cleaning Tools

Chances are , your cleaning tool and appliances got quite a exercising during the holidays . Have they been looking a little gunky since then ? Take these simple steps to keep from spreading dirt throughout your house : change your vacuum filter , wash your mop promontory in the wash machine , wash and dry your broom bristle , and put back all of yourdish sponges . While you ’re at it , do an armoury of your cleansing spray and restock supply ( check our roundup ofeco - well-disposed cleaning suppliesfor some fantastic non-poisonous option ) . Now you ’re quick forspring cleanup !

5. Upgrade Your Home Theater Experience

Would you rather stream a motion-picture show at home than guess out to the dramatics in February ’s bitter weather condition ? ( Yeah , us too . ) expend some time this month turning your TV room into a home theater your phratry will love : Perhaps upgrade your wired speakers to awireless surround strait system , buy a twosome ofend table that twofold as TV trays , and roll out a laughably large , family - size10 - foot by 10 - fundament fleece cover . The best part ? you could murder the “ pause ” button any metre you need .

6. Carve Out a Place to Hang Your Coat

By mid - wintertime , our home entryways are usually overrun with kick , coats , and scarves , and baseball glove . Clean it up by convert a W.C. into a mudroom : Remove the door and accommodate the upcountry space with shelf , cubbies , and a entrepot work bench . For a less drastic change , buy a newcoat rackor way a new organizer for boots and brake shoe .

7. Check the Washer Hose for Wear

When was the last time you clapped eyes on any of the hose or cord on your washables machine ? When awashing auto leakage , the perpetrator is sometimes a cracked washer hose . It ’s a good idea to check these connector sporadically to ensure that they are not worn or broken , and now is as skillful a sentence as any . This review involves moving the washer away from the paries and giving thewashing machine hosea once - over . If you see signs of wear you ’ll want to put back the hosiery but before you do , be certain to shut off the piss and the mightiness to the simple machine .

8. Mend Window Screens

leaping is on the elbow room , and that mean you ’ll beopening the windowsagain to get some fresh air into the house . Before you do , check for lacerate or missingwindow screensand replace or repair any that need it . If you notice discolored wood around the windows , it could be a sign of wet or molder . Make a note of any damaged areas and identify the source of the leak for prevent additional equipment casualty . Repair therotted woodalong the interior or outside of the house as the weather allows .

9. Sharpen and Scrub Your Garden Tools

Before impart them a workout come spring , take a piffling time to recondition andclean your garden toolsnow . muffled blades should be sharpened and broken tools and handgrip must be repaired . putz with move part , like shear andloppers , should be properly oiled to keep them in peak shape .

10. Flip the Mattress

Flipping your mattress every 6 months makes it last longer . By changing the orientation of the mattress , you ’ll deal weight and wear more equally and thereby preclude it from droop . Keep in mind that not all mattress can be flipped . If that ’s true of your role model , rotate it 180 arcdegree .

While your mattress is on your mind , take the prison term now to throw off themattress pador guardian into the wash ( none of us launder those things as often as they take it ! ) , andclean the mattressitself by hoover or steam it . Once all layers of your bed are unclouded , you ’ll sleep like a babe .

This Is the Year for a Kitchen Renovation

Woman in a jacket outdoors holds secateurs for cleaning and sharpening.

Photo: Natalia Lebedinskaia / Getty Images

Whether you ’re selling or staying , everyone can get something out of a kitchen update . Learn why we consider this refurbishment the Most Valuable Project of 2025 and how to detain on budget .

Senior woman wearing an apron, sitting at kitchen table sowing seeds in peat pots.