The Dark Evenings Reset: How to Get Your Home Ready for Winter

Once the clocks go back, the school run, the commute and the evening activities all happen in the dark. Plenty of us have already given the house a cosier look, with this autumn’s interior trends, from sculptural lighting to rich chocolate browns, making that easy to do. The practical side of getting a home ready for winter gets far less attention, yet it’s what makes the dark evenings easier to live with. A few small changes, made before the weather properly turns, can make coming home feel calmer, safer and a lot warmer.

Pulling onto the drive after dark

Think about the last wet November evening you got home. The boot is full of shopping, the children are tired and hungry, and it’s already dark by the time you turn onto the drive. Every step between the car and the warm hallway feels longer than it should, whether that’s crossing an unlit drive, getting the car under cover or carrying everything in through the rain. 

Cutting out one of those steps is an easy place to start. An automated garage door you can open without leaving the car lets you drive straight in, and Wessex Garage Doors highlights what a huge benefit this can be for anyone concerned about their personal safety when getting out of the car late at night. It’s just as welcome when you arrive home in heavy rain, wind or snow. With the added bonus that virtually any style of door can be automated, you don’t have to choose between the look of your house and the convenience. It’s well worth thinking about before the worst of the weather arrives.

Lighting the path and porch

Once you’re out of the car, the walk to the front door deserves the same attention. The Metropolitan Police’s advice on outdoor lighting describes lighting as a good deterrent and recommends it at doors because it makes coming and going after dark safer.

Start by replacing any dim or failing bulbs, check that the porch light works, and make sure the path itself is lit rather than just the front door. The stretch in between, where you’re juggling bags and keys, tends to feel the darkest. The same guidance warns that overgrown bushes, trees and high fences can give a burglar somewhere to hide, so a quick autumn trim along the path and the front boundary is time well spent.

Making the house look lived-in

Dark evenings make an empty house easy to spot, whether you’re at a school concert, out for supper or away for the weekend. Once again, the Met’s guidance suggests an automatic plug-in time switch, which turns a lamp or light on at pre-set times when you’re away. Plug one into a lamp in a room that can be seen from the street, set it to come on as it gets dark, and the house looks occupied even when nobody’s home. 

Sealing the gaps and keeping the warmth in

Warmth is the other half of a good winter reset, and it doesn’t call for a big budget. The Energy Saving Trust says draught proofing windows, floors and doors could save around £55 a year in Great Britain, and a room without cold air creeping in simply feels cosier to sit in. If you don’t use your fireplace, an open chimney may be causing unnecessary draughts too.

However, a little caution goes a long way and the Trust is clear that good ventilation is still essential. So, leave vents and anything that supplies air to a flue or gas heater uncovered, and don’t try to draught proof extractor fans or internal doors. Kitchens and bathrooms need to let moisture out. A Saturday morning spent on the external doors and windows is nevertheless a sensible place to start.

A hallway that welcomes everyone in

Darker evenings mean coats, boots, school bags and wet umbrellas all arrive at once, so it helps to give them a home before they take over. A sturdy coat stand or a row of hooks near the door, a boot tray and a basket for hats and gloves keep the chaos contained and make coming home feel calm.

If you’re hosting over the festive period, it pays to prepare early. Guests form an impression of a home from the moment they pull up, so a lit path, a tidy porch and somewhere to put their coats all help it to feel welcoming. Do the jobs now, while the evenings are still quiet, and the busy weeks ahead will feel far less of a scramble. Get the basics right and the long, dark evenings become something to enjoy rather than endure.