You don’t have to wait for the first snowfall to prep your home for the winter season. Winter is one of those seasons that approaches rapidly, so is your house ready for the change yet? Here are a few pieces of advice that will help you transition your home alongside the approaching colder weather with ease.

1. Organize and Downsize Your Belongings

A messy house is never welcome — regardless of the season. As the cooler weather starts to set in, it becomes even more pressing to instill a sense of organization in your home.

If you have tons of sleeveless shirts and shorts sprawled across your bedroom floor, you’ll find yourself cold and annoyed when you need to grab a sweatshirt for a particularly chilly day. Forget “spring” cleaning — downsize and organize to prep for each new season instead.

Tackle one space in your home at a time and use organizing tips for each room to stay coordinated during your cleaning spree. Put away items laying around in your lawn — such as grills and patio furniture — so that you don’t potentially trip over these items in the winter.

2. Secure Your Fences

While we don’t give too much thought to fences, they play a vital role in securing our home. If this barrier looks less-than-secure towards the end of summer, it may be worth spending a day or two getting your fences in top shape.

If you’re a pet owner, you rely on your fence to keep your animals safe and secure when they’re roaming through the yard. If the wood deteriorates or rots after a particularly humid and wet summer, it leaves the fence vulnerable to openings that may give your pets a chance to escape.

Whether you have livestock or use your fence to keep your dog safely in your yard during playtime, securing this barrier is a vital step to prepping your homestead for colder weather. Nobody wants to chase a dog, chicken or horse around in the snow, after all.

3. Double Down on Insulation

As you’re enjoying the perfectly crisp fall weather, insulation is probably the last thing on your mind. However, prepping your home with insulation between seasons is crucial.

The proper insulation will ensure your house is the perfect temperature year-round. It’s vital to keep your home’s temperature warm while saving energy — and money.

Consider investing in basic insulating materials, with a particular focus on your windows and doors. An insulated garage door can help increase your energy efficiency while making your overall house stronger, too.

4. Tidy Up Your Yard

As summer ends, you may think that putting any added effort into your yard or garden is unnecessary. Nobody cares what a yard looks like in the cooler season. So there’s no point in maintaining the land outside your home, right? Well, not quite.

While your garden may be closed for the winter, you should still do some prepping to ensure easier maintenance during chillier days. Shoveling snow with piled-up leaves underneath is never ideal. Spend a weekend towards the end of fall cleaning up any evident messes in your yard. Not only does a kept property look better, but it also reduces the amount of work you have to do to it in the long-run.

5. Create a Storm Safety Kit

Depending on what part of the country you live in, your location may make you more prone to experiencing winter storms. One of the best ways to prepare your homestead for the upcoming season is by putting together a “just in case” safety kit today.

Pack your safety kit in a way that ensures you’re warm, sheltered and taken care of if you lose power or find yourself shut up in your home for a few days.

Be sure to reference a disaster or snowstorm safety supply checklist to guarantee you’re ready and secure if a potential blizzard or winter-related storm hits your home.

Taking Initiative Today

Now that you know how to prep your house for the colder season, take the small steps necessary for a more comfortable winter today. Once you safeguard your home and get ready for winter, you can kick back and look at all of the hard work you’ve done with a sense of accomplishment. Plus, you’ll be able to indulge in a hot cup of tea by your fireplace without a single worry once winter finally does roll around.