As summer draws to a close, now is a good time to look ahead and prepare your home for the cooler weather and wetter days. With the kids back at school and life getting back into a routine, you might find you have more time to plan out your property repairs and maintenance for the year.
Outdoor chores
Resene paint expert Jay Sharples says one of the first things you should consider is whether there are any last-minute paint projects to get done or finish off while the conditions are still warm and dry.
“Check out your deck – does it need restaining after a summer of heavy use? How about your fence? Could it do with a freshen-up before winter comes along? Getting these types of jobs done in autumn is always a good idea,” says Jay.
He also suggests putting a day aside for clearing the gutters. When leaves, twigs and moss fill up your gutters, it can lead to blockages and leaks, which can cause water to drip down the side of your home’s external walls, damaging paint work and potentially leading to worse problems.
“If moisture is then drawn through a solid wall, it can lead to damp on internal walls, and that’s the last thing anyone wants,” says Jay.
Autumn is also the time of year when many of us sit down and discuss any big house projects that might be looming for the year. Is a renovation in the works? Does the house need repainting? Now is a good time to contact your preferred contractors and arrange quotes, or to decide which jobs you’ll take on yourself.
The little things
One thing that’s easy to do yourself is paint touch-ups around the interior of your home.
“After a busy summer with kids at home and entertaining visitors, many of us will notice our home has taken a bit of a battering,” says Jay.
Look at your walls and skirting boards, are there marks, scuffs and scrapes? Now is a good time to address them.
“Not only will the warm, dry weather mean excellent drying conditions for paint jobs, you’ll start the year on the right foot with a home looking fresh and tidy. It’s always nice to start the year feeling good about your living spaces,” says Jay.
If tidying up areas, it is best to paint from corner to corner or point to point, if you just try to paint specific points it will stand out. Painting from corner to corner will help blend and give a uniformed finish.
You could also consider a change in your colour scheme. In summer, we tend to pare back the décor in our homes to create a cool summery vibe. But as we look ahead to the cooler months, you might want to introduce warm hues like terracotta, dusky pink and mossy greens.
“These sorts of colours can create a cosy, inviting feel to a home,” says Jay, who points out you don’t need to repaint every room in your home to achieve a fresh new look. “Simply introducing a new colour to one space, or even a feature wall, can make a big difference.”
