Plan ahead to make your winter a little easier.
~ Think about drying clothes in winter: do you have enough drying lines or racks? Could you string up some lines in the garage or porch right now?
~ Have you checked your dryer lint trap? It should be cleared every time you use it to prevent fires – better to be safe than sorry!
~ Weed your wardrobe: are there clothes you didn’t wear this summer, or last summer? Once a week try on a few winter items, do they fit? Do you love them? If not, donate!
~ Weed your kitchen things: did you use all those salad tongs this summer? Too many casserole dishes? Donate!
~ Check your bathroom cabinet for expired sunblock and makeup and throw it away or clean out the bottles and recycle them.
~ Do you have enough out-of-the-way storage for boogie boards, cricket gear and kids bikes? Pop into a hardware store and investigate hooks and racks.
~ Autumn is a good time for planting: be mindful of planting trees and shrubs too close to structures and other plants, remember they grow up and out, in all directions.
~ Cut back plants that are going to make you wet after rain as you brush past or just need a good tidying before winter.
~ Inorganic collections: check Auckland Council’s collection schedule – https://inorganiccollections.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Inorganic/ and have a good old tidy up before things start getting really soggy.
~ Clean and fix steps and decks: check out non-slip surfaces at your local hardware store.
~ Do you have emergency lighting in case of a power cut? Do you know where your torches are? Spare batteries? Pop them on your shopping list now. You might even like to invest in a camping lamp, they come in handy for all sorts of situations.
~ Electrical safety is important too. https://fireandemergency.nz/at-home/winter-fire-safety/
Little things like these make such a difference to our quality of life. Anything that improves your winter is good!
Do you have any winter preparation tips? Please share them in the comments!
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