#Winterizing your home is important if you want to catch any issues and make repairs before they become more costly or disruptive. Clean the gutters, cut back overhanging trees, caulk windows and doors against drafts, reverse your ceiling fans, and schedule an inspection and tune-up for the furnace. Also inspect your roof and clean the gutters to keep moisture out, Kiplinger says. And if you want to avoid frozen and burst pipes and they damage they can cause, disconnect all garden hoses, locate shutoff valves for outdoor faucets, drain those faucets completely and insulate them with an outdoor faucet cover. #HomeWinterization
Tag: clothing
Prepare Your Closets for Winter
One part of prepping your home (and yourself) for #winter involves swapping out #summer #clothing for heavier flannels, sweaters and coats. “With these cold-weather clothing staples about to take up significant closet space, now is the perfect opportunity to stage a clean-out,” says Martha Stewart. “Toss items that are damaged beyond repair, #donate what you no longer wear, and store pieces like swimsuits and sundresses where they’ll be out of the way for the winter season.” You’ll have more room in your closets — and probably several #bags of #donations for a ClothingDonations.org#pickup.
It’s Time to Reset Your Fall Routine
You’ve probably noticed that the days are getting shorter and the temperatures (a bit) cooler. The kids have returned to school and the merchandise on the store shelves has a sepia-toned, spooky or pumpkin-spice bent. And even if the first leaf hasn’t changed color, it’s fall.
As your rhythms adjust to the available daylight, you may feel a desire to change other parts of your routine. It’s “a temporal landmark—a moment in time that separates one’s past self from one’s present self, making it easier to adopt new habits,” says Calendar.com.
While summer is more freewheeling, school and work schedules rule the fall. Cooler weather makes it easy to get a good night’s sleep, cook comfort meals and exercise. And just like the trees shed their leaves, you can shed the habits that no longer work for you.
Begin with reflection. Ask yourself what summertime habits might undermining your energy and productivity. Perhaps you need to cut down on screen time, make a list of to-dos ahead of the holidays or get to work on a household project before the first snow.
Align your habits with the flow of the season. The early sunset might inspire an earlier bedtime — and there’s nothing quite like a good night’s sleep. Nights out with friends might morph into quiet nights around a firepit. Burgers on the grill might turn into hearth-warming butternut squash casseroles.
One way to meet the fall season is to #declutter. Items such as coolers, outdoor games, pool toys, sporting goods and tents won’t get much use in the months ahead, so #organize the keepers for #storage and #donate the things you don’t want to ClothingDonations.org.
The same goes for clothing. Designers debut the new fall fashions as the weather changes to drive sales, abandoning summer clothing to the clearance bin. You can do the same as you pull out your cool-weather clothing — decide what to keep, store, wear, donate and trash.
The changes you make to meet the season don’t have to be massive to have a positive effect. Even a tiny bit of #decluttering or a few extra hours of sleep can improve your outlook on life. Make a few small, attainable goals and stick to them for the season. Have a happy fall!
Sort Your Clothing According to the Season
In places with variable weather — and especially those with four distinct seasons — one must adjust their wardrobe to match the atmospheric conditions. That means keeping a variety of #clothing of different weights to wear for different purposes.
Even if you live in a place with relatively steady temperatures, you’ll need to prepare for variations in heat and humidity. Or perhaps you vacation in another climate — going skiing or to the beach, for example. You need to have different clothes.
Most months, you know what to expect and which clothes to have close at hand. The problem is when the another season’s clothing is getting in the way of the current season, making it difficult to put together an appropriate outfit.
Sorting your clothing by season is a good way to keep your wardrobe #organized, How Stuff Works says: “There is no good reason your heaviest winter sweater should take up residence next to a summer tank in the prime real estate of your closet.”
Rotate your clothing by season to make better sense of your wardrobe. Start with your shoes, sorting them by season and purpose. Return only the current season’s to your closet or shoe rack, with the most frequently used at the front.
Do the same for clothing. Review each item for fit and wear, sorting it into at least two piles (hot and cold weather) or a pile for each season. Then sort those piles into everyday clothing, special-occasion clothing, clothing to #donate and clothing to #trash.
Return only the current season’s clothing to your closets and dressers; off-season clothing can be stored safely in (labeled) plastic bins. Where you put the bins is another question, but getting off-season clothing out of the way will streamline getting dressed.
Sorting clothing into seasons will also help you reduce your overall inventory by helping you discover which items no longer fit or don’t match your style. Put those times in a box or bag and contact ClothingDonations.org for a free #donation #pickup.
You’ll be glad you did. Whether you’re getting ready for a new day or a special event, you’ll no longer have to hunt for the appropriate items to wear!
Do Your Last-Minute Halloween Shopping at the Thrift
Time is running out if you’re still thinking about a #Halloween #costume for this weekend’s party or decorating for trick-or-treaters. Luckily, the #thrift store is there to help, says Thrift Smart. Easy last-minute ideas include “vintage ghost” with a lacy nightgown and gray makeup; “classic witch,” with a simple black dress and thrifted pointy hat; and “DIY superhero,” with colorful tights and a cape. You can also find #inexpensive DIY supplies such as picture frames, candles and Mason jars — as well as #donated Halloween decorations such as plastic skulls and party lights. Whatever you need, start your last-minute shopping at the thrift! #ThriftStoreHalloween #HalloweenCostumes