Best Home Improvement For Every Month Of The Year

Does it feel as if your home improvement to-do list never ends? Try organizing your projects by month. Then knock these 12 items off your list.

Once you become a homeowner, the number of things you need (or want) to improve increases exponentially. Theres always something to be done. But certain times of year are better to tackle specific projects, whether your goal is to save money or sanity. Not sure where to begin? Weve laid out a schedule below.

January: Clean your carpets and rugs

It may seem counterintuitive to do this when its cold out, but according to Jonathan Barnett, founder of Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning in Lakewood, CO, your flooring gets really dirty during the winter. Waiting until spring to remove all that grime can make it harder to get stains out. Plus, the lack of humidity during the winter months allows moisture to evaporate quickly so wet carpets dry faster, Barnett says. And a clean carpet provides a healthier and better-smelling home, which is especially important during the winter, when most people spend the majority of their time indoors.

February: Paint a room or two

Now is the perfect time to tackle an indoor project that you can enjoy year-round. Indoor projects arent weather-dependent; its more of a supply and demand thing, says Shaun McCarthy, president and owner of Handyman Connection in Colorado Springs, CO . If youre hiring someone to paint for you, winter is a good time to do it. Youre likely to get a much better price than youd get during the spring and summer, when many people book exterior painting jobs. But even if youre planning to do it yourself, there are still benefits. Brisk winter air is good for curing paint, so cracking that window for ventilation serves a double purpose. (Unlike humid summer air, it wont make your paint take longer to dry.) While youre at it, if you havent weather-stripped or caulked your windows and doors, do it in February before the winds of March set in, says McCarthy.

March: Clean your gutters

The most common problem I see in my home inspections is a wet basement or crawl space, says Marc Shanley, a certified master inspector at Trinity Inspection, which services homes in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. One common culprit? Clogged gutters, which do an ineffective job of directing runoff away from your homes foundation. All that moisture can cause major foundation problems. Depending on your gutters (and whether you have overhanging trees), you may need to tackle this task more than once a year. Even so, its best to do this before the April rains hit.

April: Refinish your hardwood floors

If youve discovered hardwoods beneath your new homes carpeting, wait until spring to complete this labor-intensive but transformative task. If you wait until its really hot out, the finish can cure too quickly and the sheen might not dry properly, which leads to a glossy, uneven finish, says Arne Johansson, owner of Arnes Floor Sanding in Minneapolis, MN.

May: Buy a new refrigerator

Although most large appliances go on sale later in the year, refrigerators have their moment in May, in preparation for the summer. To make room for that new inventory, the older versions usually go on sale, which can mean big discounts for consumers. Want even more savings? Consider energy efficiency (look for the Energy Star certification) and ask if you can buy the floor model. Dont forget to haggle!

June: Freshen up your exterior

Nows the time to wash your windows (or pay someone to do it), power-wash your siding, and install screens in your windows. Before you power-wash, be sure that all your weatherstripping and caulking is secure (and your windows are closed). Otherwise, you risk shooting the cleaning liquid into your house, says McCarthy. He also advises testing the washers power on an inconspicuous area of your exterior beforehand. You want to clean your house, not take the paint off of it, he says.

July: Fertilize your lawn

Your lawn needs a solid four to six fertilization applications throughout the year to keep it healthy and growing, says Gene Caballero, co-founder of GreenPal, an app that matches customers with landscapers. Fertilizing in July will give your lawn the vitamins and nutrients it needs to get through the rest of the hot summer months. Also, this midsummer application helps to prevent weeds from germinating setting you up for less weed pulling in the fall.

August: Paint your homes exterior

The best time to paint your homes exterior is when temperatures remain consistent from day to day and dont drastically dip overnight. The real key, says McCarthy, is to work your way around the house so that youre always painting in the shade. First, map out what time of day the sun hits each side of your home, then paint accordingly. Of course, you could always hire a pro for this task. You might want to get some estimates, especially for a multistory house. Investing in the equipment (including a tall ladder or two) might not be worth the cost or the hassle.

September: Replace your windows

Caulk adheres better when the temperature is between 40 and 80 degrees, so those glorious days of late summer and early fall are an ideal time to replace your windows. Plus, when the cold weather does hit, new windows will keep the heat where it belongs inside your house.

October: Buy new appliances

Big-ticket appliances such as stoves, washing machines, and dishwashers debut their newest models around this time of year. That frequently means deep discounts on the old ones. Some retailers will even start their holiday sales early. Double savings!

November: Remodel your bathroom

Contractors are entering their slow season this month, so theyre more willing to jump on a small project and get it done quickly, says McCarthy. A powder room is a good way to test a contractor out, especially if youre in the market for a larger renovation like a kitchen, he says. If you like the way it turns out, great; if you dont, its low risk.

December: Build a deck

Youll probably get a good deal, because deck builders will be winding down for the winter. But adding a deck onto your house when its cold out makes sense from a building perspective too. December is less humid, so if youre using pressure-treated wood, itll dry more consistently and evenly. Also, the hot sun wont beat down on it, which can cause warping and cracking.

When you do plan to refinish hardwood floors or tackle these other tasks? Share your tips and experiences in the comments!

Originally Posted on Trulia