September is often a warm and beautiful month here in Saskatchewan, but the cool nights and shorter days always get me thinking about winter nonetheless. And that means that I start thinking about how to prepare our yard and outdoor area for the cold winter months ahead. Saying goodbye to summer is never one of my favourite moments, but making sure all our favourite things are ready for next year is worth the work!
Step One – Cleaning
Back yard preparation always starts with some yard cleaning for me. Getting all the boys’ smaller outdoor toys into the house and packed away in a box for next year is my first step. Then I treat any weeds that have sprung up in between our patio stones in the back yard. Finally, a quick spray-down of the concrete and a fall flower beside my favourite bench ensures I can enjoy the yard during cooler fall days as well!
Step Two – Storage
Ensuring out outdoor items stay safe and secure throughout the winter is a must and in our current house, we don’t have a garage for storage. Luckily, keeping our bikes and the boys’ scooters safe is still easily accomplished with a heavy tarp and the Master Lock No. 8300D Speed Dial™ Set Your Own Directional Combination Cable Lock! I love the fact that I can set this lock with either a word, a number combination or with directional buttons! And the long cord makes it an ideal choice for locking all our bikes together safely before the snow falls. Then I just wrap all the equipment in a tarp to protect it from the elements and my work is done!
Step Three – Security
For the most part, I’m not too concerned about accidentally locking myself out of the house. Since we’re renters, I know that I can always call the landlord and gain access if I forget my keys inside. But when the temperature drops to freezing, waiting in the cold for help getting into our house can be uncomfortable at best and downright dangerous at worst. The new Master Lock SafeSpace® Portable Light-Up Dial Lock Box 5424D is the perfect solution. It lets me keep a spare key stored securely on the property in case of an emergency, and the light-up display means that I can access the key easily even late at night. I keep my Lock Box locked around the bar of the energy meter in our back yard.
With the property clean and neat, the summer toys stored safely for next year and a key ready and waiting in case of an emergency, I can enjoy the pleasures that autumn has to offer and anticipate winter feeling prepared….even though I can’t help but wish summer would last just a little longer! And with a few Master Lock products to help me, I know that the items my family loves will be safe and sound all year long!
