Are you ready to take control back of your house this fall? Because we’ve got a great list of to-dos for you, well, to do. When you stay one step ahead of the changing seasons, you get to enjoy them without the stress. Now that’s something we can raise a steaming cup of bone broth to!
1) Winterize Your Yard Gear
Now’s the time to empty the fuel from your ride-along lawn mower and other garden equipment (alternatively, you can add fuel stabilizer to stop the gas degrading). While you’re at it, are you sure that snow blower is still working? You probably don’t want to find out at 7am on a Monday morning before work.
2) Generate Peace of Mind (with a generator)
Earthquakes, winter storms, tornadoes… While we don’t want to be the prophets of doom, we do need to face up to the fact a basic generator is a basic necessity these days. Invest in one before you need it, and make sure you know how to use it too.
3) Stock Up On “Snow Days” Essentials
While the kids may be cheering at the idea of a day or three off school while you’re snowed in, you have other things on your mind: like toilet paper. Don’t wait until the forecast tells you to go to the store to stock up. Create a section in the garage or pantry that’s only for emergencies, and have enough TP, water, board games, and grab n go food (like our LonoLife Noodle Cups) to keep everyone happy for a few days.
4) Drain Outdoor Faucets (if you live somewhere cold)
While this one isn’t top of our list in California, there are plenty of places where pipes will freeze without giving you a chance to think about the water in your pipes. Disconnect hose pipes and breathe a sigh of relief next time you read about someone’s pipes bursting.
5) Gut Your Gutters
Next time there’s a huge rain storm, head outside for a minute and see how hard your gutters are working. Then head inside and commit to cleaning them out when it stops raining. If they’re crammed with leaves, they can’t drain the water away from your house effectively, and we all know where we’re heading with that.
6) Restock Your Bone Broth
Whether you’re looking for another shelf stable supply for days trapped indoors, want to make sure you’re getting your fill of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids when the colder weather hits, or just love the calming ritual of a delicious bone broth on a fall morning, now is the time to stock up.
7) Fire Up The Furnace (then give it some tlc)
If you’ve not cleaned or replaced your furnace filter in a while, it’s time to get busy. There’s no need to make your furnace work harder than it needs to, plus they can get pretty gross. Fall is also a great time to get a professional out to do some standard maintenance, so you can go into the colder weather with some peace of mind.
8) Fall Showers, Springtime Flowers (or something like that)
If you’re a daffodil lover, don’t miss your planting window. Check in with your local garden store to see which bulbs are best to plant during the fall in your area for a burst of blooming beauty in the spring.
9) Be Tree Worry Free
The last thing you want to be doing at 3am when a winter storm hits is asking yourself if you should have trimmed/removed that tree after all. Now is the time to check there are no unstable limbs, and that any branches are at least three feet from your house.
10) Make a Winter Driving Kit
Considering how much time you spend in it, your car may as well be part of your home. And seeing as you can be out in some treacherous conditions in the winter, it’s a good idea to create a winter driving kit (think safety absorbent for traction when stuck on ice, flashlights, blanket, hat and gloves, portable air compressor, and a foldable shovel).
