Winter Home Maintenance Checklist
Winter keeps you indoors, which is exactly why it is a good time for maintenance. The heating works hardest, the windows stay closed, and humidity builds up in bathrooms and on cold walls. At the same time, the garden is dormant and there is no pressure from the outdoor jobs that fill the other seasons.
This checklist is built around those conditions. It starts with the heating side of the house: bleeding radiators, keeping the fireplace safe and testing alarms that matter more when everything is sealed up. It continues with damp and ventilation, then with the deep indoor projects that never fit in a busy summer, such as grout, kitchen cabinets, the pantry and the closets. Pruning also belongs here, because most trees and shrubs are best cut back while they sleep. As always, the interval beside each job shows how often it returns.
10 tasks below. Want them as reminders instead of a list? Download HouseKiper and it schedules the ones that apply to your home. The full list is on the home maintenance checklist.
🍳 Kitchen
Check the pantry and expiry dates
Every 3 monthsThrow out expired items, wipe the shelves and prevent pantry moths.
Clean cabinet fronts and interiors
Every 6 monthsGrease builds up on handles and top edges.
🛁 Bathroom
Deep-clean tile grout
Every 6 monthsBrush with baking soda paste; for mould, diluted bleach with good ventilation.
Clean the bathroom exhaust fan
Every 6 monthsA dirty fan doesn’t remove moisture, and mould appears.
🛋️ Living areas & bedrooms
Wash duvets and blankets
Every 6 monthsGood timing: at the change of season, before storing them.
Declutter closets and swap seasons
Every 6 monthsIf you haven’t worn it in a year, donate it.
🌡️ Heating, cooling & hot water
Bleed the radiators
Once a yearAt the start of winter; if they’re only warm at the bottom, they have air.
Sweep the chimney
Once a yearBefore the season: built-up soot can catch fire.
🛡️ Safety
Test smoke and CO detectors
Every 6 monthsHold the test button until it beeps.
🌳 Outdoors
Prune trees and shrubs
Once a yearMost are pruned in late winter.
Frequently asked questions
What home maintenance should I do in winter?
Bleed the radiators, check the fireplace and flue, test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, keep bathrooms ventilated and use the quiet weeks for deep indoor cleaning and decluttering. Prune dormant trees and shrubs at the end of the season.
How do I stop damp and mould in winter?
Ventilate after showers and cooking, clean the bathroom extractor fan, and keep furniture a few centimetres from cold outside walls. If the bathroom grout or sealant is already black, renew it rather than scrubbing it again.
Why is the winter list shorter than the others?
Because the outdoor jobs are mostly done in fall or wait for spring. Winter is the season for the indoor projects that need no good weather, so the list is deliberately practical.
When is the best time to prune?
Late winter, before buds open, suits most deciduous trees and shrubs. Spring-flowering ones are the exception and should be pruned right after they bloom.