The change of the seasons can be a bit of a demotivating time. Nights are drawing in and the weather is definitely getting colder and wetter! Growth is slowing down in the garden and once you’ve completed all your end-of-season jobs there’s comparatively little to do outside. There’s plenty to keep you occupied indoors, though! We’ve put together some suggestions for interior projects suitable for the colder weather.
Painting inside
It may be getting colder, but on a nice bright day it’s still warm enough to have the windows open a little so it’s a good time to think about painting. If you’re painting walls, then consider using a modern VOC-free paint. These are practically odour-free and contain no harmful chemicals so you don’t even have to have the window open (although increased ventilation will speed up drying time). If you’re using gloss paint though, you do need to open the window so save that for a suitable day. All the pre-painting preparation such as washing and sanding can be carried out regardless of what the weather’s doing outside, so if you need to delay for a couple of days while the rain stops then there’s still plenty to do. Choosing light-coloured paint will help brighten the room, no matter what’s happening outside.
Declutter
Another job that’s independent of the season, decluttering can make a big difference fast. Rainy days can provide the perfect excuse to spend the day indoors, sorting out things that are no longer required. Most charity shops are now accepting donations as usual, but do check with them first in case they’re still operating an appointment system. Other items can be advertised on local buy/sell sites or take for waste disposal. Many local councils offer a pickup system for larger items, although there may be a charge for this – your local authority website should have details.
Clean all the windows
We know we harp on about the window-cleaning thing a bit, but it really does make a massive difference to the look and feel of a room. You might think that clean windows don’t matter when it’s dark and rainy outside, but cleaning them really will let in more light – and that’s important at this time of year. Depending on the size of your house, cleaning the windows can take several hours so wait for a day when you’re happy to be inside!
Give your kitchen a deep clean
Over the summer, you might not have been using your oven that much. Many people tend to eat more salads and cold food or cook outside with the barbecue when the weather’s nice. Now we’re moving into autumn, the season of hearty casseroles and baked potatoes, your oven will probably do doing bit more work. Give it a proper clean, either using a commercial oven cleaner or bicarbonate of soda. You could even consider calling in a specialist company to do a proper clean, if your oven is looking a little neglected! Your fridge, freezer and microwave would probably also appreciate some extra attention before the winter.
Put up some shelves
As part of your decluttering scheme, you might consider putting up some shelves to hold any items that have survived the clearout! Shelves can make a focal point to any room and you can change the look of the room just by changing the contents of the shelves over. Consider the type of shelving you’d like, as styles range from modern cubes, ‘floating’ shelves, traditional, glass and more.
Now the only thing to do is to enjoy your clean, painted, tidy house – while waiting for the weather to improve again!
All images: Pixabay
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