Top 10 Things You Should Do After Daylight Saving Time Ends

It's almost that time to fall back and gain an hour of sleep, which is nice, but it's also a good reminder to check on a few things to make sure you're prepared for the approaching winter weather. Here are some housekeeping items that you should check on.

The Top Ten

  1. Get Your Car Checked Out

    Before the winter months and cold weather arrive, now is a good time to get your car checked out. Make sure it's ready to go for the cold weather. The last thing you want is to have car troubles when it's 12 degrees outside. Do yourself a favor and get your oil changed, check your vehicle's fluids, and get your tires checked as well.

  2. Change Smoke Detector and CO Detector Batteries

    It's a good time to check and replace the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors as well. The last thing anybody wants is a fire before the holidays. You should replace the batteries in these devices once or twice a year.

  3. Get Holiday Travel Plans Ready

    Holiday travel is stressful enough as it is, so make sure you're prepared, especially if you're flying anywhere. Make sure you get your flights scheduled and booked. There's a lot of chaos when trying to do it all at the last minute. It's never a bad thing to do some planning ahead of time to reduce as much stress as possible. Getting your dates set now will save you hassle and stress in the long run.

  4. Lock In Academically

    For those still in school, take this as kind of your wake-up call. The end of the semester is in sight, and finals season is looming large. Whether you're doing well in your classes or not, this isn't the time to start slacking off. Put in the work to finish strong. You should also have your plan figured out for next semester by this point as well. Stay on top of all deadlines and focus.

  5. Change Your HVAC Filter

    Now's a good time to change the air filter in your HVAC system. It could be in a weird spot, like the attic, so make sure you're checking that out and getting it replaced. It should be checked fairly regularly, like once a month. Replacing it helps your HVAC system run optimally and avoids higher electrical bills or the system overheating or breaking down. The last thing you want is no heat during the cold winter months.

  6. Update Your Emergency Kit

    With the winter weather approaching, make sure you have bottles of water, blankets, flashlights, etc., handy. If the power does go out, you should be ready to go and stay warm. If you have a generator, now would be a good time to make sure that's ready to go. Do the prep work now so that, in the event of an emergency situation, you're ready for it.

  7. Flip Your Ceiling Fan

    Ceiling fans can be used to keep your place warm during the colder months, so make sure you flip the direction. Usually, there's a switch that'll change which direction the blades spin. It should be going clockwise in the colder months so that it's pushing the warm air down.

  8. Throw Out Old or Expired Food

    It goes without saying, but you'll probably have a lot of leftover food during the holidays. Make sure your refrigerator has enough space by getting rid of old, expired food. Nobody wants to eat expired stuff, so throw it away now, especially if you're having people over during the holidays. This is your reminder to go clean the fridge!

  9. Rotate or Flip Your Mattress

    Generally, it's recommended that you do this every few months. Even if you're changing your sheets regularly, it's still important to flip or rotate your mattress and vacuum it since it's got dead skin cells on it. This also helps increase the mattress's lifespan. If you have an older mattress, you should rotate it 180 degrees. If it's a new mattress, you can flip it over.

  10. Replace Your Toothbrush

    If your toothbrush looks like it's seen better days, it's probably time to replace it. This is your reminder to go check it. Generally, you should try to replace it every six months or so. If it looks like the brush part is worn out, go ahead and throw it away. Get a new toothbrush to make sure your teeth stay clean and healthy.

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