Home improvements are a perfectly normal part of being a homeowner. It’s pretty much par for the course for a home to need the occasional maintenance and repair. Sometimes, though, home improvements can be prompted by special occasions, such as Christmas. Sure, we’re still months out, but that actually means it’s the perfect time to get started on home improvements so that your home is properly prepared for the winter holiday season.
Clean Up Your Exterior
Christmas displays with all their festive lights and decorations can really put you in the holiday spirit. Your home creates the backdrop for your display, so it’s always a good idea to make sure that it’s neat, tidy, and in good condition beforehand. Rake up leaves as they fall, trim your hedges and bushes, and don’t forget to clean out your gutters too. It’s also a good idea to inspect your siding for any wear and tear. Patch up or repair any trouble spots you find. Not only will this give you the best backdrop you can have for your Christmas display, but it will also help you keep your home in good condition which can save you from having to deal with more major repairs and fixes down the road.
Add a Bedroom
Gatherings with family and friends are a pretty typical part of the holiday experience. One of the home improvement projects you might consider tackling is to add an extra bedroom to accommodate any guests you might be hosting. This can be as simple as repurposing an extra room into a guest bedroom or as complex as building an addition to your home. If you choose to go the route of expanding your home, make sure you remember to check your city’s ordinances and building regulations before you get started. You don’t want to get going on a project this big only to find out that it’s against the local regulations.
Finishing a Basement
Unfinished basements are full of untapped potential. That’s just the problem with them though – they’re untapped. Finishing your basement before Christmas arrives is a great way to make sure you have some extra room, whether that be for entertaining guests or for giving them a place to stay overnight. The possibilities are endless. You can add a bar, bedrooms, bathrooms, entertainment space, or even just something more like a second living room in which everyone can comfortably gather to spend time together.
Deck Additions
Most of the time when you think about Christmas get-togethers, you probably think about entertaining your guests inside your home. You aren’t limited to just your indoor space though. Adding a deck to your home can extend your entertainment space and give you some extra flexibility for your event. There are many ways to improve your lifestyle with all the features you can add to a deck. It’s the perfect way to experience falling snow, and keeping your guests warm while they’re outside on your deck is just a matter of adding an outdoor heater or fire pit. Give your deck an extra touch of holiday magic with Christmas lights and some outdoor Christmas decor. Who knows? It may just be the perfect atmosphere for a holiday romance to blossom.
Sidewalk and Driveway Repairs
Cold and wet conditions are part of what makes winter holidays like Christmas such cozy affairs. There are few things quite like being out in the cold and then coming into a deliciously warm house. While that’s great for humans, those conditions tend to wreak havoc on sidewalks and driveways, especially if they are already somewhat damaged. Over time, water causes sidewalks and driveways to develop cracks and can cause leveling problems. When water gets into those cracks and freezes, that makes things even worse. It doesn’t matter if you have asphalt or concrete, you need to make sure your sidewalk and driveways are in good condition before the weather turns. Goodness knows that making sure they’re in good shape will make it easier to keep them clear of snow and from becoming more damaged.
Roof Repairs
Want a quick and easy way to spoil Christmas? Try having a leaky roof. It’s sure to put a damper on holiday festivities. You don’t want to be dealing with roof problems during the winter, especially over Christmas. You can avoid all of that by making sure your roof is in good condition and that any necessary repairs are performed well before winter hits. If you aren’t confident about what shape your roof is in, have it professionally inspected to identify issues that you may need to address. From there you can come up with a game plan so that you don’t have to deal with roof problems in the middle of the holidays.
Appliance Upgrades and Tune-Ups
Holidays tend to mean a lot more cooking, whether you’re making Christmas dinner or Christmas cookies. That means your appliances need to be able to handle the extra work. On top of that, you know you’ll be relying more heavily on your furnace to keep your home nice and warm, which means it also needs to be in good shape. Take stock of the condition your home’s appliances are in. Do you need to upgrade any of them? If so, start planning that now. At a bare minimum, you should have your furnace tuned up before turning it on for the season. No one wants to be dealing with a broken furnace in the middle of the holiday season.
When it comes to getting ready for Christmas, there’s always a lot to get done. If you truly want your home to be ready by the time Christmas arrives, there’s no time like the present to get started. Don’t forget to prioritize any outdoor projects that require nice weather in order to be completed so that you can make sure those are taken care of before temperatures drop and cooler, wetter weather sets in. Once you’ve got all your home improvement projects taken care of, you’ll be in good shape to start getting your home all festive for the holiday season.
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