A few things to think about when it comes to how to best care for your rural home in winter!

1. Reverse your ceiling fans. This will create an updraft and push heated air down into the room.This is especially helpful in rooms with high ceilings, and it might even allow you to turn down your heater and save on energy bills.

2. Check your roof. Arrange for someone to check your roof for broken tiles, holes or banked up gutters. Blocked gutters or cracked tiles may lead to flooding and ceiling stains.

3. Mow your leaves. Instead of raking your leaves mow them, effectively breaking them down into smaller pieces which will decompose and nourish your lawn in the wetter months.

4. Check all window and door seals. Ensure you don’t have any unwanted leaks in a storm.

5. Cover all outdoor furniture to protect from the elements.

6. In winter lawn growth tends to decrease and may only need to be trimmed every month or less. If you are storing your lawn mower away for the wet season remember to remove all petrol to avoid engine damage.