Actually, quite a lot. You know you're not going to want to be indoors once the weather is warmer and the days are longer. So use this time to prepare your house and family for the warmer weather. Use your indoor time wisely so that you can maximize your outdoor time when it comes around. Here are a few things you may want to consider putting on your To Do list for February.
Fix Things
That bi-fold door that always comes off it's hinge, those loose pulls on the cabinets, the burnt out odd-sized light bulb under your stove's exhaust fan , the wobbly railing in the stairwell....these are perfect little jobs to keep you busy. Many can probably be accomplished in an evening while some things might require half of a day during your weekend. But if it takes more time than that, you probably will want to plan for it a little better and put it on a "Bigger Projects" list. The idea here is to be able to quickly accomplish a lot of little jobs around the house.
Go room by room and write down all those little things that you've been meaning to get to but have put off for far too long. Then figure out what you will need from the hardware store and go get all of your supplies. Then start plugging away at your list until you've got them all done. It is amazing how satisfying it is to finally be able to use that door that's always been broken or have more light while you cook. And you'll wonder why you didn't fix them all long ago!
Research Things
February is the perfect time to do a little research on something you've been wondering about for a while. Planning on getting a new dog? Research reputable shelters or breeders, find out what kind of dog would best fit with your family, find out all the essentials you'll need once Fido is with you, and figure out a name that everyone can agree on. Or maybe you're in the market for a new boat. You can research the type of boat you want, start searching Craigslist and the classifieds, ask friends who have boats what they like and don't like, research costs for storage or whether you'll want to add new garage space.
Whatever it is that you want to know more about, February is a great time to hunker down and figure it out. Because you know once you hit a 60 degree day in March you'll be running around outside in shorts and won't want to sit in front of a computer or in the library.
Paint Things
February is a great time of the year to revive your home with paint. You'll want to start with what color you would like to paint your room. Grab a few cards from the paint store or, if you plan on doing many rooms, splurge on an entire paint deck (usually around $10). Then pick out your favorite colors and compare them making sure that your rooms all blend well together. Be sure to check each of the colors at different times of the day, with natural and artificial light, and against some of the furnishings, wood colors and carpet to make sure nothing clashes.
Once you've settled on a paint color, you'll want to start your prep work. First, cover everything in the room with plastic sheeting, then tape anything that you don't want to get paint on. Remove all the covers for the outlets and light switches, taping the screws to each plate. Use Spackle to fix any divots and dents in the walls so that they will look brand new once you paint them.
Now is also the time to fix any problems you've had with the walls. Many times in older homes you'll see cracks forming along a joint. Fix these so that your paint job will be flawless.
And before you actually start to paint, consider repainting your ceiling if it's been a lot of years since it's been done. It freshens up a space and is hard to do after the walls are done.
Finally, you can put up your paint. Don't skimp on coats. If you see any of the old color at all, add another coat. You don't want to go through all of that work to have it look bad.
Whiten and Brighten Things
Do you have pillows that are turning yellow from years of sleeping on them? Have your white sheets and towels gone a dingy gray color? Are your comforters all looking drab and tired? Do your pots and pans all have a layer of brown grunge on them? February is a great time to work on whitening and brightening everything in your home. Since you're in the house anyway, why not work on some of those things that take time to get clean.
Use your washing machine set on it's hottest setting to remove the yellowing stains on your pillows. Just add borax and an oxygen cleaner along with your regular laundry soap. You'll be amazed at the results and will want to wash all your whites this way! You can also take time to wash all those dirty comforters, rugs, afghans, and throw pillows. Just check the labels to be sure they are washable.
You can also bright up many of the items you use daily in your home. Grab a pan a day and start scrubbing. Work out all those stains and your pans will look brand new again. Give your mixer, your food processor, your crock pot or any other appliance a good scrub down.
Spring cleaning is just around the corner, so now is the perfect time to throw out any cleaners that didn't work or you didn't like, stock up on cleansers, cleaning clothes and anything that will make your cleaning chores go by easy and painlessly.
Plan Things
Have you ever noticed that if you don't plan ahead, many things don't get done? I know that many times in the summer we've wanted to go camping at a certain park only to find that everything for the entire summer was already booked. Now is the time to plan out adventures for your family.
If your family likes to camp, start checking out state parks and campsites. You may even be early enough to get one of the elusive camper cabins! Plan out a road trip to visit relatives, and do it when you know there will be festivals and fun events along the way.
Ever wonder how your summer slipped by and you didn't ever get out fishing or never attended an outdoor concert? Put some of those things that your family loves to do on the calendar so that everyone can look forward to it and be sure to plan a second day in case the weather doesn't cooperate.
Have a big home improvement project that you'd like to finish this summer? Make a list of what you'll need and the steps that need to be done to accomplish it. Then block off certain weekends or plan to take time off of work to get it done.
If you even do one of each of these items this February, you will have accomplished much more than just sitting there waiting for spring to come. And you will have made the time go by faster and be that much closer to the warm spring and summer months. Use your indoor time wisely!
Source: Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors
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