If you are on furlough during the Covid-19 outbreak you could be getting a little bored being stuck indoors and having nothing to do. This is especially hard if you are used to being active. With the current restrictions meaning many of us are still housebound, why not get on with some of the essential home maintenance tasks that you have been putting off. If you need DIY supplies, it might be more difficult to find them as getting hold of DIY equipment isn’t the easiest at the moment, however many DIY stores are offering click and collect and many are offering a delivery service again.
Garden
Autumn and Winter are times when we don’t venture into the garden too much and there is going to be lots to do to get the garden ready for the Summer.
If you have borders, they will need clearing of dead leaves and weeds to tidy them up a little. Dead head and prune any plants that need attention and turn the soil over to aerate it.
Give your lawn some TLC by removing any moss that might have grown and give it its first mow of the season. Remember to not cut your lawn when the ground is wet and ensure that you don’t cut more than 1/3 of the length in the first cut or you could shock the grass.
Now is the right time to start planting your plants to bloom in the Summer and Autumn. Plants such as Dahlias, Gladioli and Lilies are perfect to plant this time of year. It is also a good time to plant seeds, which can be a lovely project for the whole family, young and old!
External Maintenance
Your house will almost certainly need some external home maintenance as the wet winter months will not have been kind. One important task to look at is your gutters. Over the winter leaves and other detritus will have collected in your gutters and could cause blockages. It is time to get outside and check your gutters for blockages and to sort out any leaks that you might have had.
Internal Jobs
There is always a huge list of jobs to do around the house. What about starting that decorating job you’ve been putting off? This could be painting a room, wallpapering or laying a new floor. It might not be so easy with everyone at home but why not, where possible, make it a family activity.
For smaller jobs, why not touch up the grout in your bathroom, repair and repaint those dinks and marks on your walls or sort any issues you might have with the sealant around your bath or sinks? Or perhaps you will finally get around to hanging those pictures up? If you are feeling creative, a popular trend is to create a picture gallery. Choose frames of varying colours, shapes and sizes and create your own gallery wall featuring all your loved ones.
One marmite task is cleaning. You either love it or hate it, but with everyone being at home the mess can soon build up. Get your gloves on and, starting at the top of the house and working down, give the whole house a deep clean. Or perhaps you can work around the house having a good sort out? Try to tackle a room per day and clear out drawers and cupboards of old, broken unused or unwanted items. That should keep you occupied for a few days.
2020 has felt like a bit of a bind but there are plenty of tasks to do around the home and garden which will keep you busy and occupied so roll up your sleeves and get on with all those jobs you have been avoiding.
