Knock out these must-do October home projects in just a couple of weekends and enjoy care-free living all winter long.
Clean Gutters
Clogged and overflowing gutters can create a drainage problem over the long winter months. It will also encourage rot to form at the roofline. For this messy job, wear gloves and practice ladder safety while working. Plus, here are the best gutter guards for your home.
Closet Nook Shelves
Don’t let the recessed space at the ends of a closet go to waste. We love maximizing storage space by fitting these nooks with wire shelving to hold blankets, towels, or bedding.
Wire shelves come in a variety of widths. Measure the width and depth of the space. Then, choose the correct shelving and ask the salesperson to cut the shelves to length for you. Subtract 3/8 in. from the actual width to determine the shelf length. Buy a pair of end-mounting brackets and a pair of plastic clips for each shelf. A pack of plastic caps covers the cut ends and keeps them from snagging fabrics.
Replace Damaged Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding protects a home with a tough, water-resistant shell, but accidental damage can happen. If a falling branch or a well-hit baseball cracks a piece of your siding, you can make it as good as new in about 15 minutes with a $5 zip tool (available at any home center) and a replacement piece. It’s as simple as unzipping the damaged piece and snapping in a new one.
Organize Your Garage For Less Than $200
You can find lots of ways to create more storage space in your garage, but no other system is as simple, inexpensive, or versatile as this one. It begins with a layer of plywood fastened over drywall or bare studs. Then you just screw on a variety of hooks, hangers, shelves, and baskets to suit your needs. And because you can place hardware wherever you want (not only at the studs), you can arrange items close together to make the most of your wall space. As your needs change, you’ll appreciate the versatility of this storage wall too; just unscrew shelves or hooks to rearrange the whole system.
Stop Drafts Around Windows and Doors
If your windows or doors cause chilly drafts all winter long, the problem could be worn-out seals, weather stripping, or thresholds. Then again, the sloppy installation might also be to blame. When cold weather arrives, hold the back of your hand near the edges of windows or doors to track down the location of leaks. If you feel cold air flowing out from behind the trim, you can bet that the spaces around the window and door jambs weren’t properly sealed.
Plugging these leaks is a time-consuming job: You have to pull off the interior trim, seal around the jambs and then reinstall the trim. But if you have fairly airtight doors and windows, it offers a large payoff. Stopping drafts not only makes your home more comfortable but also cuts energy bills.
Aerate the Lawn
To ensure lush grass and a healthy lawn in the spring, aerate in the fall. Aeration breaks up compacted soil to allow water and fertilizer to penetrate deep down into a healthy root system. A must-do, fall-ready project.
Prep Your Garden
Prep your fall-ready garden now for less work in the spring. Remove any past-their-prime annuals and rake out any rotting leaves. To protect your garden pots from breakage due to freezing water, empty, clean and bring indoors for the winter.
