Preparing for Winter V

slm6002

I've washed all of the sofa blankets today and line dried them.  Coats are still all ok and washed not long ago.  I need to re varnish the garage door and then look into getting a replacement but that wont be quite yet.  I also need the gutters cleaned as they have been dripping.  They are really high up and my brother braved the ladder last time.  I have seen some people with extendable poles cleaning gutters around here so that may be a better option

Primrose

We had our gutters cleaned last year for the first time in decades. Seeing the amount of stuff removed - mostly moss which had formed on roof slates of the years and been dislodged by wind, heavy rain or birds, was horrendous. You could have planted a tree in it!  We,ve now signed up to have them cleaned every year.

Cherryfudge

Extendable gutter cleaning tools sounds like a great idea and much safer than going up a ladder. Does anyone have experience of these? I've had a quick google and found one that's like a pressure hose, and some that are various shapes of scraper, and I've no idea what the strengths and weaknesses of each type are.

Laura_Elsewhere

Cherryfudge said:

Extendable gutter cleaning tools sounds like a great idea and much safer than going up a ladder. Does anyone have experience of these? I've had a quick google and found one that's like a pressure hose, and some that are various shapes of scraper, and I've no idea what the strengths and weaknesses of each type are.

My Dad's done the gutters for years by leaning out of the attic dormer windows with an old kitchen spoon tied very very well onto a ten-foot bamboo pole....! 

London_1

I am still decluttering, as we have decided to start our moves to the IoW after Christmas , so along with a major decluttering I have a decorator coming on 4th September to repaint my conservatory ,lobby and kitchen ,

Plus on the 11th September I'm having a new back fence, gravel boards and back gate with a proper lock on it done as the existing one has as far as I know been up almost 35 years.
It's definitely on its last legs, so will have the fence posts replaced with concrete ones as the wooden ones are almost rotted away now.

So fairly hefty couple of bills in September, but I thought rather get it done out of the way before the cold weather sets in.
Plus today my lined winter coat went to the dry cleaners so that's another job done. Hopefully next week if we get a nice day with a gentle breeze I will get the throws washed and dried. 

I've already started to sort out my winter woolies and socks etc, I also have four pairs of thick tights to wear under my jeans that I have dug out and they will get a wash and freshen up ready for the cold weather.

Come October I itemise my food stocks, and see what I can batch cook and freeze.I do like warming soups in the cold weather, and have a good few soup pouches that I use to freeze soup flat for easier storage in the freezer. I actually enjoy getting stuff ready for winter as I'm not really much of a sun worshipper, and prefer the autumn or spring to extreme heat or cold ,on balance I think I really don't mind the winter too much, as its gives me more of an excuse to read more of my books  

JackieO xx

Cherryfudge

Laura_Elsewhere said:

Cherryfudge said:

Extendable gutter cleaning tools sounds like a great idea and much safer than going up a ladder. Does anyone have experience of these? I've had a quick google and found one that's like a pressure hose, and some that are various shapes of scraper, and I've no idea what the strengths and weaknesses of each type are.

My Dad's done the gutters for years by leaning out of the attic dormer windows with an old kitchen spoon tied very very well onto a ten-foot bamboo pole....! 

Just popping out to install a dormer window, thanks @Laura_Elsewhere  

NaughtySpot

It’s so nice to see this thread being used again, I love reading about everyone’s winter routines 🙂

We have done a lot of work to out 1930s semi in the last few years, so it’s pretty well as insulated as it can be, so my prep is getting outside tidied and secure from the weather (our garden gets very windy in winter) so bbq needs a good clean and tucking away out of the wind, as well as the garden furniture. Shed needs a good tidy and reorganise, with a tip run needed no doubt. 

I washed coats in spring and then put them away, but hats/scarfs/gloves need doing. Wellies need looking at, although tbh they don’t get worn lots. I’d love a log burner but they are costly to buy and install so no wood to worry about. I want to wash our sofa cushions on a nice day, and I need a better mat for the back door. 

I love autumn, but it feels like it’s come round really quick this year. It’s definitely feeling autumnal outside of an evening now. 

Chloepad1

One of the things I would love but have to rule out having installed is a multi fuel burner.  I live with and care for someone with a lung disease so not an option for us.  Hopefully now we have completed all our double glazing replacements/ upgrades it will make a difference to keeping us warm. Its lovely to hear about what we are all doing to prepare for autumn/winter.  I bought new thermal bedroom curtains yesterday to replace my very thin cheap ones.  Hopefully tomorrow I will have a chance to get them put up.  I have added a clothing clearout to my to do list and will start that tomorrow as well.  Its feeling more autumnal in the evenings now and the nights are starting to draw in.

Wednesday2000

It is feeling decidedly Autumnal tonight. Rainy and a chill in the air. I am going to wash one of my winter coats tonight. I forgot what I have in my winter wardrobe as I haven't looked at it in so many months. I have booked and paid for my flu jab for mid September. My husband has to book his free jab next week as he is over 50.

I am going to look around the charity shops next week to see what I can buy that is warm. I would like a teddy bear coat, roll neck jumpers and hooded tops, but I will see what I can find.

Cherryfudge

I bought a throw this afternoon - lovely warm colour as well as hopefully literally warm. I didn't realise when we got a leather sofa that leather is so cold in winter!

I've a reminder on the September calendar to book a service for the log burner: I'm not letting that one go since it set the carbon monoxide detector off at 1am on a January night! The chap who came out to check it was very good, bless him, though I'd done the right thing and ventilated the house and there was a storm outside so a lot of ventilation happened! But thank goodness for CO detectors. The log burner hadn't even been on all that recently but there was a still a build up, and no clue in terms of physical symptoms at that point.

And for those who use chimneys, get them swept.