Tips for Closing a Summer Home

If you're a snowbird with a cottage that gets closed up over the winter, you know there's a lot to take care of. Snowbirds are generally retirees who flit south when winter weather appears.

That may not fit you. Perhaps you have a vacation home that is only used in the summer but you don't go south. In that case, these tips are for you too.

I've prepared a check list so nothing gets forgotten. You can print it out and personalize it to fit the steps you take in closing up your vacation home or seasonal cottage.

1. Arrange for someone to winterize the water lines.
2. In areas with heavy snow, you may need bracing installed to support the roof. You can also arrange for someone to shovel the roof when it reaches a certain depth of snow. We have ours shoveled when the snow reaches 4 feet.
3. Arrange for winterizing and storage of the boat.
4. Call the cable and phone companies to shut off service. Ask about seasonal rates and suspending service. You'll want to keep your same phone number each year if possible.
5. Set mail forwarding with a card at the post office or by filling out the online form ($1).
6. Store the automobile if you keep one there. You can put it in a storage lot or inside a storage unit. Disconnect the battery.

   If the vehicle is outside, consider getting a cover for it.

Put it under the building or a deck where domestic animals won't get into it. Our neighbors were dismayed to find chipmunks had ruined the mattress in their bedroom over the winter.

If your seasonal home has power during the off-season, you can get those sonic pest repellers that you plug into a power point.

1. Put bicycles inside a shed or in the cottage. If you can't do that, chain them to something and cover them with a tarp.
2. Some things should be raised off the ground, like a canoe or kayak. Put them on blocks or sawhorses.
3. Cover patio furniture, grills, fire pits, etc.
4. Tilt a picnic table so rain and snow won't sit on it.

You'll want to protect your patio furniture, grill, kayaks, fire pit, woodpile, deck boxes, and other outdoor items by covering them with tarps. You'll need plenty of these in a variety of sizes. Group items together and cover with the tarp. Wrap a rope or cord around it and tie it tightly. You can use a heavy stone or brick to weigh down the corners for added protection against the wind.

Heavy plastic tarps usually last 5 or 6 years, so figure on replacing them as they aren't much use once they get thin and have holes here and there. Get the kind with grommets so you can run a cord or rope through the grommet holes and tie it snug. This should keep the wind from ripping it off whatever you are trying to cover.

There are different sizes and weights. Get a selection so you can cover different sized objects.

Sure you can use blue tarps and lots of rope to secure it around your patio furniture. I like having a fitted cover that really covers the item right. We found patio chair covers that have ties for each leg to keep the cover from blowing off in a storm.

1. Put sheets, beach towels or plastic tablecloths over the furniture to protect it from months of dust.
2. Block the heating vents with trays of ordinary kitty litter. Cheap turkey roasting pans work for holding the litter.

   The weight of the kitty litter means mice can't enter through the vents. The kitty litter absorbs moisture from the air to help prevent mildew in the cottage. You can save the kitty litter and foil pans in a plastic storage tub to use again next fall.

3. Put dryer sheets inside cupboards to prevent mustiness.
4. Remove all foods. Canned goods or liquids will freeze and burst. This happened to me with a jar of vanilla flavoring.

   Any food will attract mice. Anything even remotely edible can provide food for a mouse. I've seen evidence of nibbling on packs of ant traps and a neighbor had a warming pad filled with millet eaten by mice.

   Take the food with you or give it to the local food pantry if it is unopened.

5. Cleaning supplies are iffy. Put them in a plastic tub in case they should freeze and burst. Some products lose their effectiveness if frozen. Check the labels.

As you close up for the season, leave yourself a note for when you return. There are things you won't remember months later. This could include calls to make, things to fix, where you put something, etc.