Winter is on the way, and with it comes the holiday season. Both can be stressful in their own ways, although when that perfectly white, powdery snow comes down on Christmas morning, it’s magic. One thing that isn’t so magical, though, is when you find your house feeling more and more cramped over the winter. This often happens because we tend to remain indoors more when it’s cold outside. Sometimes you just don’t feel like getting bundled up to go out in the cold, and sometimes winter storms make it very dangerous to go anywhere.

If your home is already feeling full, you might want to consider doing a clean-out before winter really gets here. There are a few reasons why this is a great idea and why Junk King Cincinnati is the right team to partner with.

What Clutter Has Accumulated in Your Home?

The first step to your winter clean-out is to determine what clutter and junk you have. This starts by figuring out where that clutter is. There are some common areas in everyone’s house where junk tends to collect. The garage, the basement, and the attic often have junk and other stuff in them that you just don’t need to keep. Your shed may also have some things in it that you could get rid of.

One room you definitely need to assess before winter and the holidays get here is your guest room or flex space that often functions as a guest space. If you do have a spare bedroom that acts mainly as a guest space, you may have shoved a few things in it just to get them out of the way. You’ll want to make sure you’re not using the space strictly as storage if you plan on having family say with you during the holidays. If you need to replace the bed or other furniture, you’ll want to do that now, too, so you have time to buy the new items and have Junk King come collect the old stuff.

If you use a flex space for your guest room, it may not be as cluttered with things you’re storing. However, it may have other items in it that you’ll need to temporarily relocate when your guests arrive. You may use the space as your home office, for example. In that case, you may need to move your computer and other items you need while working to another room if your guests’ stay is going to overlap with your work. This could mean you need to make certain another area of your home is clean and organized so you can temporarily work there.

Be Ready to be Stuck Inside

If you have a small apartment or house, space may already be at a premium. This makes it hard to bring much more into your home. During the winter, though, you may want to stock up on nonperishable foods and other home goods if a winter storm is coming. You don’t want to be trapped in your home without any toilet paper, soup, or other items. Now is a good time to go through your pantry and get rid of any food that has expired or that you know you just won’t eat. If it’s still good, you can donate it to a food pantry or soup kitchen. If it’s expired, toss it.

Look at your bookshelves and other storage areas. Do you have room to add some extra winter distractions and activities? If you read a lot, do you have space to buy some additional books to curl up with during the cold nights? If you work puzzles, is there space to store a few more of them? You want to make sure you have room to store supplies for your indoor hobbies since you won’t want to get out as much during the colder days.

You’ll also need to have room to store any sporting equipment that won’t be used during the winter. During the season for these sports, the gear may seem to always live in your car, but you won’t want it taking up space if you or your kids won’t be using it. Your spring, summer, and fall sports equipment has to go somewhere. You probably also want to make certain it’s carefully put away so it won’t get damaged over the winter, which could require a little more space than if you just crammed it in a cabinet.

Is There Space in Your Garage for Your Vehicles?

If you have a garage, can you park all of your vehicles in it? You may want to clean it out if you can’t get at least one car inside. When the winter storms hit, ice can build up on trees and bring them crashing down. If one lands on your car, it can do incredible amounts of damage to it. Even if you don’t have any dangerous tree limbs around, ice can freeze your door handles to the car. It’s possible to accidentally break them while trying to get them free from the ice. You also run the risk of slipping and falling while trying to get to your vehicle.

Having your car in the garage also helps protect it from stray animals that might seek shelter underneath it. They can bite into cables and hoses or, worse, be hiding up inside the car when you start the engine. Stray cats may hide on top of the tires as well. You don’t want to accidentally injure or kill one of these animals when starting your car. Junk King can help get rid of any large items that have been in your garage for far too long.

Organize Your Shed

When it’s snowing or freezing cold outside, you don’t want to have to dig through half the stuff in your shed to find what you need. Take the time now to clean out your shed and organize it so your snow shovel, ice melt, and other winter items are close to the front or are easy to find. Move some of your summer items to the back and bring your winter things forward. You might also want to pull out all of your holiday decorations so those can be easily found. The goal is to have your shed organized well enough that you can quickly find exactly what you want without spending too much time in the cold.

Consider Your Closets and Your Kid’s Rooms

Another reason why space may seem to get a little tight around the holidays is that you may be giving and receiving gifts. You need to have space to store the gifts you purchase for others, especially if you start shopping early. Depending on how many people you’re buying, how many gifts you buy for each, and the size of those gifts, this can require a good amount of space. You may need to move some things out of your closet just to make room for this stash.

You might also need to think about what you’ll do with the gifts you and your family receive. You might need to talk to your children about donating some of the toys they currently have to make room for new ones. Another consideration is clothing. If your closet is close to bursting, it might be time to purge some of the winter outfits you haven’t worn in a couple of years. Even if you don’t fill it back up with new clothes, having that little bit of extra space in your closet can be nice.

Why Clean Before Winter?

Cleaning things out now is likely going to be easier than waiting for the winter just because you won’t have to worry about the temperature or the ice. You’ll be able to pull items out of your home, garage, and shed without slipping or needing to wear too many layers of clothing. Cleaning out your attic will be more comfortable, too, since it’s often an uninsulated space that can be very hot or very cold.

While Junk King works year-round, we always appreciate being able to remove heavy, bulky pieces of furniture or appliances without worrying about slipping on the ice. That said, we can haul away items during the winter at any time. We’re often very busy after a winter storm brings down trees and fences because we haul away that debris along with standard household junk.

Reach Out to Junk King Cincinnati Today

There’s no better time to start preparing your home for winter than right now. You may have old furniture, appliances, and other trash that needs to get out of your house. Once you know what you need to have hauled away, all you have to do is give Junk King a call. We’ll provide you with a free, no-obligation estimate for the job that includes all of the fees and other costs. Once you approve it, we will quickly and safely get the junk out of your home and into one of our large trucks.

Want to know more or get an estimate? Give us a call at 1-888-888-JUNK or text us at 1-737-888-5865.