If you’re planning on a spring or summer home sale, winter is a great time to tackle some of those projects you’ve been putting off. When bad weather forces you indoors, you can make the most of your time taking care of property maintenance sure to impress prospective buyers. Here are a few winter home improvement ideas to bide the time until you list.

Take a look outside

Perhaps you live in a mild area, or maybe your location is lucky enough to have some clear weather days in the winter. Take advantage of breaks in the weather to get a jump on spring yard cleanup. Clear out overgrown flower beds and any debris left over from fall, as well as taking care of any pruning you may have missed (or put off). If your home is in a wooded area, take note of any dead or dying trees and limbs, and put a call out to a local tree service professional. When it comes time to list, you’ll be happy you took care of the major yard work, allowing you to focus on the smaller details when your home finally hits the market.

Take on the heat

If you turned your thermostat over to heat without calling in an HVAC professional, take the time now to make an appointment for a check-up. There’s nothing worse than having a furnace die in the middle of winter, especially when any problems could have been addressed with a little pre-season maintenance. While you’re at it, change out your filters from the summer air conditioning use and keep a close eye on your furnace filters as well. It’s better to discover an issue now rather than upon a prospective buyer’s inspection.

Energy-efficient remodeling

While winter may not be the most opportune time to replace old windows, tackling a basement renovation may be just the project your home needs for a facelift. Taking a basement area from dank and dark to finished creates more livable square footage and is incredibly appealing to prospective buyers. Winter is a great time to tackle large indoor projects — make your basement area one of them. 

Get a new coat of paint

So, maybe you’re not looking to invest a great deal of money on major renovations you won’t get to enjoy. Instead, give your home a facelift with a fresh coat of paint. Paint manufacturers run some of their best deals over the winter months, and painting professionals are usually less booked. Choosing to paint your home interior over the winter can translate into great cost savings and give you more bang for your buck when it comes time to sell.

Upgrade the hardware

While it is possible to sell a home with an old kitchen, and truthfully, you won’t really see a return on your investment if you remodel, there are affordable ways to give it a facelift. When a full kitchen remodel is not in the works, you can affordably update an outdated kitchen by refreshing the look of your cabinets. A little paint and some new hardware can go a long way.

Instead of completely renovating, consider updating or adding a backsplash or some tile work or changing out the sink or faucet. These minor changes can make a major impact — without completely killing your budget — when buyers are walking through your home.

No matter how small the project, taking advantage of the winter months to tackle home improvement and maintenance can get you better prepared to sell in the spring and summer. Not only will you have seen to areas in need of repair or a little TLC, but you’ll be free to focus on any unexpected challenges that may pop up throughout the selling and moving process.