HOME

Get chimney removed

Fix broken slates above sewing room

Fill holes in kitchen walls

Paint kitchen

Put up blind in kitchen window

Clean out chimney

Check chimney quality and lining

Make door curtain for front door

Draft proof windows with tape

Make some kind of door for conservatory

Fix coal shed roof

Get ceiling clothes hanger

GARDEN

Trim hedges

Prune trees

Winter-proof chicken shed

Make outside chicken run

Finish compost bins

Make a leaf mold bin

Make raised beds for next year

Tidy potting shed and greenhouse

CAR

Check lights, wipers and washers

Add torch, de-icer, scraper, rags and snow shovel to car

Fix/clean car blankets

Make/buy windscreen covers

ALESSI

Oh my days. Finish her blanket already!

Put winter duvet on bed

Top up crafting box for the bad weather days

Make a rainy day activity jar

Buy water proof trousers

Clean winter coats, hats, scarves etc and make sure they have name labels on

WARM & FUZZY

Get winter clothes down from attic and put away summer clothes *sobs*

Buy new winter boots

Buy/make a new winter coat

Dig out hot water bottles

Stock up on candles

And ALL the spices for mulled wine and cider!

Try out a seasonal themed coffee. Otherwise, is it even really autumn??

Get out for autumn walks with Alessi

Winter List 2017

I am very late posting the winter list this year, but finally here it is. I've decided to update it as I go along this time around so if you return back to this post after a few weeks, it should look a little different. Also instead of including a long list of previous Winter Lists at the bottom of this post, I've just added a link to last years instead. That should be enough for the curious among you.

Home

Door curtain up

Draft excluders for front and back doors

Dig out fairy lights, candles and lamps

Put together a Power Cut Box (candles, torch, camping stove, matches etc)

Pull out blankets from storage and air out

Dig out the hot water bottles

Rug for living room

Clean all windows

Finish painting the house!

Start stocking up firewood

Garden

Trim hedges

Mow grass 

Harvest sunflower seeds and put up heads for birds

Clean bird feeders

Move chickens in to barn

Move tender plants in to greenhouse

Take cuttings of flowers to keep and move indoors

Car

Put together winter box (blankets, torch, de-icer, ice-scraper)

Check lights, wipers, windscreen washers, tyres and heaters

Give it a good clean

Misc.

Change Alessi's nature table to autumn

Put up autumn decorations

Stock up on the Vicks vapour thingies, (expensive, but a god send during cold/cough season)

Freshen all coats, scarves, hats and gloves

Check boots for holes

Last year's winter list

Winter List 2016

It's kind of ridiculous how excited I get about putting together these lists. I tend to start thinking about them in late summer and they really help ease me in to the new season.

Home
(stopping draughts, deterring spiders and generally just getting cosy)

Wash windows
Collect conkers to deter the spiders who want to make this house their winter home

Make door curtains for the front door and living room archway

Draught excluder for the living room door

Fix conservatory roof seals to stop the leaks when it rains

Check attic roof for leaks while we're at it

Dig out the fairy lights and candles

Get blankets down from attic 

Draught proof living room floor

Rug for living room

Garden
(the big autumn tidy up and preparing the chickens and garden wildlife)

Collect conkers for shed to keep the spiders at bay

Weather proof the chicken coop and add things to keep them entertained

Check fences and fix where necessary

Paint new fence panel

Mulch flower bed and pots

Prune trees

Pull up weeds from the front of the house and tidy. It currently looks a right state

Rake up leaves and add to flower bed

Put the bird feeders back up

Make an insect hotel with Alessi

Harvest sunflower seeds and store for spring

Move tender plants undercover

Car
(getting an old car ready for the elements)

Put together a winter box for the car (torch, blanket, deicer, ice scraper etc)

Check lights, tyres, windscreen wipers, screen washers and heaters. Important as my car is old.

Wardrobe
(keeping us warm during the colder, wetter months ahead)

Pack away summer clothes (which I barely used) and get winter clothes down from attic

Stock up on winter socks and jumpers

Buy a good pair of slippers

Misc
(crafting and other cold month pleasures)

Fix granny square blanket

Make a hot water bottle cover

Finish Alessi's blanket
Dare I attempt to make that winter coat this year??
Dig out the autumn decorations
Help Alessi make up her autumn nature table

~

Previous Winter Lists
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010

Winter is coming..

Sorry. I couldn't resist.

Here's my annual winter list. A bunch of stuff that needs doing around the house and garden to prepare for the colder months with some more fun stuff thrown in too. Because you know, autumn.

Garden
Make a conker garland for the shed windows to deter spiders

Prune the tree next to the conservatory
Plant spring bulbs (daffodils and snowdrops for me)

Mulch flower beds

Move tender plants under cover

Check fences and secure where necessary

Tidy shed

Clear conservatory and weather proof grape vines ready for colder, damper weather

Car
Check lights, wipers, screen washers and heaters

Add de-icer, scraper, torch and blanket

House
Stock up on candles and tealights

Get a string of fairy lights for the living room
Start a new granny square blanket
Wash blankets
Put up autumn decorations
Clean windows and wash curtains
Make a new curtain for front door and add draught excluder
Paint cupboard door white
New hot water bottles for me and Alessi

Wardrobe
Warmer clothes down from attic

Stock up with jumpers, woolly socks and tights
Make that winter coat!
Woolly hats, scarves and gloves at the ready
Make some pyjamas - long sleeves are needed in winter
Slippers and new dressing gown for Alessi

*

Winter List 2014

If you're a regular reader of this blog you will know that I consider September 1st to be the start of Autumn.
You'll also know that around this time of year, I like to write out my Winter List.

For those who have started following me recently, this is basically a list of things to get done before winter sets in. It's more than a list to me though. It's a ritual. It prepares me for the new season, softens the post summer blues and helps me focus on the positive things this time of year brings. So let's jump in..

House Stuff

Fix granny square blanket

Buy a heated clothes hanger

Wash all curtains

Get the candles and fairy lights out

Try pumpkin pie with tinned pumpkin - I didn't grow any this year

Collect leaves, conkers and pine cones and use to decorate the house

Blocks behind the sofa - don't ask

Sand (and paint?) the living room table

Stain or paint the bedside cabinets

Garden Stuff

Cut down tree and treat stump

Mulch flower bed

Prune the other trees

Get rid of the big mound of earth that's currently sitting on the lawn

Re-felt the shed roof

Tidy shed and add conkers to deter spiders

Car Stuff

Add winter bits to car (blanket, de-icer, ice-scraper, torch etc)

Check all lights are working

Wardrobe Stuff

Put summer clothes back in attic

Get winter clothes down from attic

Make myself a winter coat

Buy/make/find a scarf, hat and pair of gloves

Stock up on winter essentials (tights, woolly socks, jumpers etc)

Buy a pair of slippers

Food & Drink Stuff

Make apple crumble

Drink my weight in hot chocolate

Make a list of slow cooker recipes

And another of soup recipes

Make mulled cider

Pip Stuff

Buy a new pair of wellies

And a Vicks dehumidifier for her room

Make Pip a hooded poncho

The Dress Tree Stuff

Get A/W pieces listed in the shop

Buy fabric for more dresses

And finally, make a backdrop in the conservatory (the house gets too dark!)

Other Winter Lists:

2013

2012

2011

2010

Winter List 2013

It's that time of year again..

Learn to play 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star' on the ukelele because I still haven't done it yet
Visit Westonbirt Arboretum. I have to do it every year. It's a thing

Make hot cider

And mulled wine

Make more winter foods, soups, stews, crumbles and pies etc

Try and fix the conservatory roof before the worst of the weather sets in

Prune conservatory plants

Tidy shed

Tidy vegetable patch (weed and mulch)

Cut grass one last time

Wash all windows in house

Wash curtains

Insulate front door
Bleed radiators

Add winter stuff to car

Pull out extra blankets from attic and wash

Make a cover for my hot water bottle. No sniggering at the back please

Make some mittens for Alessi

Make a snood for me

Revamp parka coat

Alter tweed coat

Collect a butt load of conkers. Not for spiders this year, but for Alessi to play with.

Summer clothes back in to the attic, winter stuff back down

Fix granny square blanket. I didn't do it last year and it's a mess

Get organised for Christmas early.

As The Nights Draw In..

Collect conkers

Visit Westonbirt Arboretum

Tidy garden ready for winter

Replace boiler

Winter clothes down from the attic and summer clothes returned to their dusty corner

Winter stuff in the car (de-icer, ice-scraper, blanket, torch etc)

Blankets down from the attic and washed

Block up the old air vent in Pip's nursery (left from when it was a bathroom)

Finish Pip's blanket

Prune indoor grapes vines and wisteria plants

Make Christmas cards

Make Christmas presents

Fix granny blanket

Make an autumn leaf garland

Wash and put up curtains in the conservatory again

Wash conservatory windows and sills

Fill in gaps to keep the damned slugs out!

Make a pumpkin pie (or three)

Buy a winter coat

Stock pile candles

Winter-proof the chicken coop

Tidy shed

Plant spring bulbs

Time for a new list..

Every year I make myself a list of things to do before winter arrives, this was my list from last year. It's something of a ritual I suppose. Something that gets me in the right frame of mind for the colder and darker days. 

This year however things are slightly different. A lot of the stuff on lists gone by have been simple house and garden maintenance jobs. There will be no conker collecting to deter spiders this year either. They work a treat, but I was still finding them under the sofa and behind the oven as recently as last month so spiders be damned. Instead, most of the list will be DIY jobs that we've been putting off for ages, but now need to get done before the baby arrives. So here goes my Winter List, 2011 style..

1. Add fence to front of house 
2. Get crafting corner sorted 
3. Fix kitchen wall that I buggered up
4. Get Dan to finish tidying tile grouting in the kitchen 
5. Paint hallway
6. Move chickens off garden and create a more 'winter friendly' space for them. 
7. Prepare garden ready for the winter
8. Make/buy a door curtain for front door
9. Make a curtain for the bedroom 
10. Finish dress making course by Christmas
11. Make a draft excluder for the living room
12. Add winter stuff to car (de-icer, cover for windows, blanket etc)
13. Put summer clothes in attic and bring down the winter gear
14. Buy a maternity winter coat that a) does not cost a small fortune and b) does not resemble a kid's duffel coat
15. Fix crochet blanket
16. Make a snood
17. Make Christmas presents, cards and decorations

See? It's a much smaller list this year and I've already made a start too! My summer clothes were packed away in to the attic and my winter clothes brought down at the start of September so I considered myself to have gotten off to a grand start.

Good job then that we're not experiencing some sort of mini heatwave that calls for flip flops and summer dresses.

Hang on a minute..

Winter List

It's that time of year again folks. I've written out my list of things to do before winter comes a knocking and I'm more excited about this than is probably considered normal.

This year I've decided to include my list here so that I can blog about my progress. This makes me feel all kinds of happy and nerdy for two reasons.

One, I'm a sad muppet with an unhealthy love of lists and two, blogging about it will give me an incentive to complete the damned thing. Something I always have problems with.

So without further ado, here follows my 2010 winter list. Look see, it's got categories and everything! *happy sigh*

House

• Put foil behind the radiators (I tried this once and it bugged the crap out of me as the foil kept sliding off the wall. Still I've read time and time again that it's a good tip so I'll give it another shot).
• Make a draft excluder for the living room door
• Clean windows and window sills in conservatory
• Clean all windows in house
• Brush cobwebs from the external walls of the house
• Get boiler checked, check the insurance cover is up to date
• Make 2 door curtains - 1 for the kitchen/living room arch and 1 for the main front door
• Weather proof conservatory..or do the best you can - it's falling apart.
• Cover air vents in kitchen and bathroom with cling film to avoid draughts and spiders

Garden

• Collect conkers and put in shed to deter spiders (I've heard this works)
• Mulch garden bedding and pots
• Check fences and secure where necessary
• Varnish shed - DONE
• Varnish garden fences
• Pull up weeds from front of house and clear any rubbish
• Prune grape vines and mulch pots

Clothes

• Buy a pair of warm trousers for work
• Check hat/scarf/glove situation. Mend, make and/or replace as necessary
• Buy some more winter socks (mum's been slack and my stash is dangerously low)
• Get winter clothes down from attic
• Move summer clothes up in attic
• Get ankle boots re-heeled
• Sew up the buggering big hole in winter slippers
• Get a new pair of knee high boots

Car

• Add winter stuff to car - torch, blanket, ice-scraper, de-icer, wind-up telephone charger thingy
• Check the lights are working properly

Misc.

• Hunt down hot water bottle (it's somewhere in the attic)
• Stock up on candles
• Finish last year's crochet blanket
• Make a Christmas list..yeah, yeah I know. Shut up. I like lists remember?
• Make a list of winter meals to make and freeze
• Stock up on mulled wine sachets or find a cheaper alternative
• Make a list of soups to make and bring to work that don't bore you to death
• Buy a flask
• Stock up on containers for soups - margarine tubs?

Having now read through this list I see that I come across as a right spider wuss. I'm really not. They just piss me off. Especially after spending last winter sharing a house with so many of them.

By the way, if anyone knows if that conker thing really does work then do let me know!