From Spotlight: The Gift of An Organized Holiday

4 Easy-Peasy Must-Do’s for Homeowners in December

Quick-and-easy tasks that’ll brighten up your interior.

cellphone with december reminder tasks to do at home clean check insurance with background holiday lights
Image: Maggie Stuart for HouseLogic

December. The year's coming to an end. It's time to do four small tasks for a bright (and money-saving) new year.

#1 Clean Light Bulbs and Fixtures

Wood chandelier with Edison bulbs over couch in living room

Two great reasons to clean your light bulbs: You want as much light in your house as you can get as the days grow shorter, and you'll save money.

Dirty bulbs don't provide as much light as clean ones, but they do use the same amount of electricity.

Wipe bulbs with a cloth dampened by a mix of 1 ounce of dish soap, one-quarter cup of white vinegar, and three cups of water. Get to it Dec. 1 so you're ready for the curtain fall on the shortest day of this year: Dec. 21.

#2 Evaluate Homeowner's Insurance

A light blue background with a paper-cut cloud and rain
Image: Paper Boat Creative/Getty

The holidays. You love them, but they do seem to eat up more cash than other times of year. Sure, you can scrounge around for change under your couch cushions, but that's not going to offset much.

Why not get a home insurance checkup? Call your agent to go over the type of coverage you have, how much you really need, and how you can lower your premiums before your next monthly installment.

#3 Pack a Home Emergency Kit

A clear plastic bin filled with emergency supplies
Image: Christina Hoffmann for HouseLogic

The last thing you want during the holidays is for an emergency to chill your family's cheer. Prepare for power outages and weather-related emergencies with an easy-to-find emergency kit.

Some items to include are bottled water, a hand-crank radio, a flashlight, batteries, a portable charger for your phone, warm blankets, and of course, a first-aid kit to patch up any boo-boos. Singing carols 'round the flashlight may not be ideal, but it'll beat trying to celebrate in the dark.

#4 Buy Holiday Lights (After Dec. 25)

Defocused image of illuminated colorful Xmas lights
Image: Rastislav Ocens/EyeEm/Getty

It's tough to think about next Christmas when you're still stuffed from a holiday dinner with all the trimmings. But think you must if you want to save on next year's holiday. From Dec. 26 through year's end, big-box stores try to clear the shelves of all that glitters.

Related: Dirty Bulbs Cost You More Than You Think

Author photo of writer Stacey Freed
Stacey Freed

Stacey Freed writes about homes, design, remodeling, and construction for online and print national trade and consumer publications, including "Better Homes & Gardens." Previously, she was a senior editor at "Remodeling" magazine. Follow Stacey on Twitter.