It’s always difficult to say goodbye to summer. As the days get shorter and the leaves start to lose their luscious green colour and turn to red and gold, it’s a reminder that winter is just around the corner. But fall can be one of the nicest times of year, and it’s a good time to make some changes, especially around your condo.
The beginning of fall signifies impending change for a lot of people — school is starting and the new year is just a few months away. In order to be ready for the changes that lie ahead, we thought we’d come up with some tips to help you prepare your condo for the coming autumn.
Bring it in
You can start to say goodbye to those long evenings watching the sun set from the balcony by assessing what you need and don’t need out there. If you live somewhere like Estevan where winters are cold and long, you might want to consider bringing in your patio furniture for the coming months. If you are going to keep your furniture outside, give it a good wipe down with warm, soapy water to get rid of the summer build up and think about purchasing some canvas covers to protect it from the elements.
Next you’ll want to deal with your plants. If you’ve been growing a balcony garden or keeping flowers all summer, now is a good time to trim them back, cover them up and find a place to store them inside.
It’s good to remember that with the fluctuating temperature, things made of glass or ceramic can shatter in the cold so you’ll want to make sure that everything breakable is indoors soon.
Finally, make sure your drain is clean and free of debris and build up, and ensure you have a small shovel or a hard bristled broom to keep the snow from piling up in front of your door.
Prepare to get warm
As the temperature cools, the more clothes and blankets you’ll need to keep warm, so it’s time to find all the winter gear you’ve stowed away for the spring and summer. This includes your winter coats, boots, mitten, toques, scarves and so on. If things have been kept in the back of a closet, give them a thorough once over to ensure moths haven’t invaded, and if things are feeling musty, you’ll have plenty of time to give them a good wash. Also, if your fall fashions are in need of some mending or your boots need scuffing, it’s nice to have it all done before you’ll really need to use them.
Related Articles: 5 Space Saving Ideas For your Estevan Condo, Proximity of Emergency & Community services, Shopping & Entertainment, The Ultimate Cheat Sheet on Estevan Condo Rentals, Free TV with a 1 Year Lease, The Top 5 Restaurants in Estevan
Likewise, you might want to bring out your warmer blankets and bedding, and keep an extra cosy blanket in the living room. Again, it’s a good idea to air out your winter linens while the weather is still warm so that you won’t be caught off guard if the weather changes suddenly.
Stock the kitchen
Many people find that the changing weather brings a change in eating habits — people go from craving salads and fresh fruit to soups and spicy casseroles. It’s normal to change diets with the seasons and it’s good to be prepared for it. Stock up on yummy spices like nutmeg and cinnamon, fill up on your favourite teas and break out your favourite chilli recipes. Since you’re naturally indoors a lot more, fall and winter are a great time to try new slow cooked meals or to test your baking skills. There’s nothing that warms you up more than the smell of fresh baked bread or muffins straight from the oven.
Start the season fresh
Fall and winter tend to mean that things slow down a fair amount, which means that you will be spending more time indoors, and it’s always nice to start a new chapter in a fresh, clean state. Before it gets too cold out, it’s a good time to do a deep clean indoors and outside. This can include decluttering your storage space, giving the windows a good wash, using a heavy duty oven cleaner (with the windows open), washing all your beach and camping gear, etc. You won’t regret the extra effort when you’re stuck inside for weeks at a time but your condo is beautifully organized and clean.
Fall is one of the most beautiful times of year, especially in a place like Estevan where the colours of the leaves change dramatically and summer slips away slowly. In order to fully enjoy the turning of the seasons, it’s a good idea to prepare yourself and your condo, so you’re not caught out in the cold.