November Checklist for a Smooth-Running Home

As the weather changes and daylight hours in November, home activities naturally center around the inside — preparing for the big Thanksgiving meal, welcoming guests and battening down the hatches for the winter. As you count your blessings this Thanksgiving, consider lending a helping hand to people in need by putting charitable giving on your to-do list.

Tackle these 13 home maintenance chores this month to keep your house secure, beautiful and working nicely for you.

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Deep wash the kitchen. With Thanksgiving coming up later this month, now is a great time to give your kitchen a comprehensive cleaning prior to the mad cooking rush starts. Run your oven’s self-cleaning cycle, pull your refrigerator away from the wall and vacuum the coils in the back, and get on a stepladder to wash your range hood and cabinet tops.

Donate into a food bank. While cleansing your pantry, set aside unexpired foods you know you won’t use to bring to the community food bank. And when you’re doing your Thanksgiving shopping, consider picking up a bagful of extra holiday dinner supplies to contribute as well — that time of year can be especially difficult for families in need.

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Check entertaining supplies and restock as needed. If you are hosting for Thanksgiving or another big fete this season, consider your menu beforehand and check to make certain that you have all the cooking gear, cookware and table-setting supplies you will need. It’s far better to know now if you don’t have a turkey baster or enough baking sheets.

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Add entryway storage. If clutter is becoming out of hands, beef up your mudroom and entryway with bins and baskets big enough to handle the piles of scarves, mittens and outerwear which will definitely collect near the door.

Use a humidifier if necessary. Together with the warmth going and the windows closed, the air indoors can get dry at the time of year. Dry air can lead to everything from static power to more regular or worsened colds — including a humidifier is a simple way to help prevent these.

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Replace flooring protectors. Chairs scraping your floors? Assess their toes: If they don’t already have sensed floor-protecting pads or when the pads are coming off, pick up a new set. Felt shield pads come in either stick-on or nail-in versions — the stick-on variety is simpler to employ; just make sure that you wash the bottoms of chair toes thoroughly to be certain the pads stick.

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CM Glover

Scrub and Clean woodwork. Maintain hardwood floors looking their best by cleaning them and then applying a wood-floor polish. In case you have wooden banisters, moldings or trim, polish them annually to bring out their glow.

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Prepare guest rooms. Get ready for holiday guests beforehand, and you can avoid that last-minute frantic prep. Spending a night in your guest area is a great way to try it out and also be sure that you have everything available a guest may want. Create a note to get niggling tasks (take duvets into the cleaners, buy extra towels) done sooner rather than later.

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Assess the sump pump. If you have a sump pump in your basement to aid in the event of flood, today (prior to winter storms) is a fantastic time to be certain it’s in working order.

Close vents in unused rooms. Conserve energy by closing up heating vents in rooms that you seldom use, like the guest room or basement. Just remember to reopen the vents in case you do have a guest.

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Inspect paths, stairs and railings. If you discover any loose or wobbly railings, or cracked paths, fix them before winter sets in. Ice, snow and irregular footing are a dangerous mix.

Have trees trimmed. Late autumn, when branches are more observable, is a fantastic time to have large trees pruned. Trimming branches can prevent breakage in winter storms afterwards.

Do a last leaf removal. Once the leaves have fallen, do a last clearing of rain gutters and downspouts. Also be sure to clear off heaps of leaves which have accumulated on the roof and in drainage areas throughout your property — otherwise they may lead to water to pool, which can cause damage.

Inform us : What is on your house care listing this November?

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