Winterizing Your Home for a Stress-Free Season

A winter-ready yard will be easier on you — and your wallet.

A red snow shovel leaning on a yellow house with a green front door during a gentle snowfall.
Image: Jason Finn/Getty

A winter-ready yard will be easier on you — and your wallet.

It's easy to get so wrapped up in leaf peeping and other outdoorsy fun that you cut back on pre-winter home maintenance. But doing basic tasks now could lead to an easier winter and a greener spring — no matter where you live. Plus, you might save on costly repairs. Here's a roundup of things you'll be glad you did.

Head Off Winter Woes with Effective Home Maintenance Tips

Frozen garden hose outside a house
Image: skhoward/Getty Images

Getting ready for winter doesn’t have to be a big deal. The trick? Know what things are most likely to cause problems and keep them from happening to your home and yard. With a fall checklist, you won’t forget to detach your garden hoses from outdoor faucets.

Fall Home Maintenance: A Fall Checklist of Things You Gotta Do Before Winter Sets In

Jumpstart a Lush Lawn

Dog hanging out during fall lawn cleanup

Not ready to replace your lawn with native plants or groundcover? No worries. But don't settle for sad patches of grass in the spring. If you do some work in the fall, you’ll protect your lawn from winter damage and enjoy better results later.

Lush Lawn Prep: 4 Simple Tasks to Do in Fall for an Awesome Lawn in Spring

Winterizing Your Home for Harsh Weather

red frozen pipe with icicles in a home
Image: igorwheeler/Getty

Every homeowner wants to prevent winter weather from causing dangerous or pricey problems. That’s why it’s super important to do things like seal up leaks and clean gutters before trouble hits home. A few pluses: These preps are often inexpensive, can be done by a pro, and/or don’t take much time.

Harsh Weather Prep: 7 Quick and Easy Weather Preparations to Do Right Now

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