Thrifty Tips to Prepare for Cooler Months Ahead

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (October 20, 2022) – With the beautiful colors, warm days and crisp nights of autumn comes the realization that the holiday season and winter are just around the corner. To help homeowners prepare for the months ahead, Westlake Ace Hardware suggests these budget-friendly projects:

Less Than $100: Holiday Table Refresh

With a trip to the antique or thrift store, inexpensive supplies, a lot of imagination, and a little bit of elbow grease, you can turn a drab table and into something that will impress your guests this holiday season.

Supplies

• Table
• Sponge
• Hardware
• ScotchBlue painter’s tape
• Clark +Kensington paint (sample size)
• Minwax stain
• Purdy Paint brush
• Sandpaper

Instructions

1. Wipe down the table with warm soapy water and remove the hardware and drawer.
2. In a well-ventilated area, use the150 Grit Fine sandpaper to sand down all surfaces. Use an orbital sander for the larger areas and then hand sanded the smaller nooks, crannies and table legs. 220 Grit Very Fine Finish Sandpaper provides a beautiful smooth finish that is ready for paint and stain. Wipe table.
3. Applypainter’s tape around the tabletop to prepare it for stain.
4. Use apaint sponge apply the Minwax stain in even strokes across the top.
5. Allow the stain to completely dry before painting the bottom of the table
6. Using a sample pint ofClark+Kensington satin paint in the color Blossom Silhouette, paint the rest of the table.
7. As a last step, attach new pull hardware.

Less Than $75

• Check and Replace Smoke Detectors – October is Fire Prevention Month, so this is a great time to test your smoke detectors and help you prepare your home in the case of an emergency. First Alert makes a wide range of smoke detectors for every budget, and these should be replaced every ten years. It’s also important to change the batteries every year.
• Replace Furnace Filters – Autumn is a great time to replace furnace air filters and help lower your system’s energy consumption by five to 15 percent.
• Seal Windows – For just a few dollars, pick up a window insulation kit and you could save up to $18 per window this heating season. Properly installed window plastic is essentially invisible.
• Keep the Bugs Outside – If you’re going to plants inside for the winter, make sure to treat them with insecticide first.
• Keep Rodents Outside – Cooler temperatures mean you may have some unwelcome furry visitors inside your home. The Victor PestChaser Plug-In Electronic Rodent Repeller drives away rats and mice by emitting a highly irritating noise that can only be heard by rodents. It is non-toxic and poison-free making it a humane option for your rodent control needs. Seal cracks and holes in your siding or foundation with caulk or filler to help prevent rodents from entering your home.
• Disconnect and drain your hoses and install outdoor faucet covers. Before freezing temperatures are predicted for your area, disconnect all hoses and hang them over outdoor furniture or sawhorses to completely drain the water, then store them in your garage or shed.