Cleaning leaves during FallSummer has come to an end and now, during fall, it is a great time to start preparing your home for colder days ahead. Follow these three rules for winter home preparation that will help you save money and time in the frosty weather. You’ll soon be on your way to relaxing during the holidays and enjoying the change of seasons, from the fall of leaves to the fall of snow.

Get organized
Now is the time to put away items left over from the summer, such as swimsuits, outdoor toys, summer clothing, decorations and anything else you won’t need during the fall and winter. This is also a great chance to de-clutter your house and get rid of unnecessary items. Put it to good use for others and even get some money back in the process. You can give away unwanted items to charity, such as Goodwill, and you’ll be able to claim a deduction on your taxes. Another popular option is the fall garage sale. Many neighborhoods will be having community-wide garage sales that make it easy for advertising your sale and getting foot traffic. Just make sure to check with your local government to see if you need a permit. During the holidays, your house will probably get filled up again, from gifts, decorations, a Christmas tree and other items you accumulate as you spend more time indoors because of cold weather. Think about keeping everything organized to get what you want when you need it. A great place to find organization ideas is Organize.com, who frequently features great coupons.

Fix-It
Since we spend more time indoors during the winter, it’s worth your time and money to invest in fixing up things inside, such as touching-up paint, replacing/fixing carpet, re-caulking windows and doors, and getting your heating unit inspected so you can enjoy the inside of your home. Many of these things, especially caulking and weatherstripping will save you money on energy bills, which can quickly add up when the temperatures plummet. Energy.gov has a great article about detecting and sealing air leaks in your home, which is how you lose heat and money from your wallet!

Decorate
There are a myriad of ways to style your house to make it more suitable for winter time. Colors change with the seasons and so can you. Bring in new throw pillows, with a change of color or style. It is is an easy way to change the appearance of furniture without having to buy new pieces. The same goes for curtains and other window dressings. You can switch from light, summery curtains to thicker pieces that help keep in the heat.

Thicker area rugs can also be used during the winter that made of wool or plush. This is especially useful if you have hardwood or tile flooring, it will keep your feet warmer. Make sure to change the blankets you are using too to something thicker, such as a down comforter. The idea is to keep it lighter for summer and heavier for the winter. Not only will these ideas keep you more comfortable, but you can also save on your heating bill by reducing the temptation to turn that thermostat up.

Some other ideas are keeping more candles & blankets around the house to make things more cozy and provide extra light. Also think about changing your wall decorations, wreaths and adding seasonal fall and winter decor to make things cheery. Kirkland’s is an awesome store with really unique home decor, gifts and other home accents and they usually have great deals running on seasonal items. Winter will be here before you know it and you’ll be glad you were prepared. As always, keep saving everybody!