A Complete Cottage Checklist
Having a cottage to enjoy in the summer is a true blessing, as it provides you with a peaceful oasis to retreat to either for some quality alone time or fun weekends spent with family or friends.
However, when you own a cottage, you cannot just show up and enjoy it when sunny weather arrives. There is a considerable amount of preparation that must be done in advance, as inadequate prep work can lead to problems and unnecessary stress.
After going through winter and being unoccupied for many months, your cottage will surely need some care and attention before it is ready for guests to arrive.
Prepare Before You Leave
This advice may seem obvious; however, you would be surprised at how many people leave their cottage planning to the last minute. Even if you are an expert packer, two or three days isn’t enough time to prepare for a full season of cottage activities.
Preparing for the summer season at your cottage goes beyond simply packing the right outfits. It also involves buying groceries, prepping meals, and organizing any outstanding items like multiple sets of keys, as well as tools you may need.
When packing for your time away, it’s important to be extra diligent. While you cannot predict every possible scenario, you can put yourself in a position to be ready for multiple different possibilities. Having everything you need to make necessary repairs will go a long way in ensuring your visit happens smoothly.
In addition, you should organize any important documents you may need while at the cottage. These can include insurance papers, IDs, and health cards in case of an emergency.
If there are major projects or renovations taking place at the property, you will require copies of any permits, contracts, etc. Keep in mind, however, that it’s ideal to complete these before the season officially begins!
Seasonal homes are often more susceptible to theft, vandalism, and other damage than average residential, full-time homes. Fortunately, cottage insurance in Ontario helps protect against these incidents while also offering peace of mind when you’re not using the space.
The Art of Cottage Opening: Doing It Properly
That first weekend away at the cottage is one that you and your family have probably been looking forward to for ages. Still, before you dive into relaxation mode, it is necessary to perform some general maintenance around the property.
The first thing you should do is conduct a solid inspection, walking around your cottage in search of signs of damage caused during the winter, such as from falling trees. You should also thoroughly inspect the ceilings and roof for any sign of leaks or wear so that you can fix such damage early on rather than allowing it to escalate.
Chances are good that some debris has probably collected around the property over the course of the winter, such as fallen leaves or branches. Thus, gathering all this debris and properly disposing of it is an important part of getting your cottage guest-ready.
In fact, it is a good idea to conduct a full and deep cleaning of the entire cottage, which should include a thorough cleaning of the gutters, washing the windows, and dusting all the furniture.
If you find any cracks or holes as you are cleaning, ensure that you seal them to prevent unwanted pests from entering your cottage. If you are worried that some pests may have already gotten inside, invest in some sufficient pest-control products.
Ready Meals in Advance
If you want to enjoy a cottage getaway that is truly all about rest and relaxation, you can minimize the necessary work you have to do while thereby preparing your meals in advance.
Of course, there are some meals that can be fun to cook together with everyone at the cottage, such as a backyard barbecue, so also pack the ingredients you need accordingly. However, make sure you do at least a few dishes beforehand to save yourself from spending too much time in the kitchen during your vacation.
As long as you have sufficient space in your cottage’s fridge and freezer, it pays to do the majority of your cooking ahead of time. There are plenty of great recipes that will be just as delicious if you cook them at home, freeze them, and then reheat them at the cottage as needed.
Of course, you can tailor the menu to your family’s or friends’ preferences. However, if you are looking to test some new dinner dishes, consider trying recipes such as a decadent mac and cheese, a hearty chicken noodle soup, a baked spaghetti and meatballs dish, a chicken and wild rice casserole, or some black bean and zucchini chilli.
Preparing snacks and desserts ahead of time also makes a big difference, so you may also want to make some s’mores butter tarts, no-bake cheesecake bars, or cinnamon streusel muffins, as any of these treats are sure to be a hit.
Distribute Chores
If you want to add some efficiency to your cottage clean-up when you first arrive and keep it clean throughout your stay, the best approach is to divide the chores between everyone.
Not only will this ensure that things get done faster and help guarantee that no important tasks get forgotten or neglected, but it will also foster some camaraderie and ensure everyone earns the relaxation time to follow.
To make certain tasks fairly divided, you can create a chore list ahead of time as well as a cleaning chart so that you can plan out who is going to be responsible for what during the cottage stay.
If you have young kids who don’t want to do chores while on vacation, all you have to do is reframe it so that it sounds fun. If you make the cottage clean-up process feel like a game or a competition, they are surely going to enjoy participating much more and may even take the lead when it comes to the household chores.
When It Rains, It Pours
Whether you are expecting it or not, the weather can shift at any moment in the summer. If you end up having to face some major rainstorms during your cottage stay, it certainly helps to be prepared ahead of time for them.
Not only should you take steps to ensure that your cottage is physically ready to handle such a storm, but you should also make certain that you have enough indoor activities, such as board/card games, movies, or books, in case you wind up getting stuck inside for an extended period.
A day spent cooped up indoors may also be the perfect opportunity to do a little communal cooking or baking. This will be fun and result in even more yummy cottage treats that tend to make the rain a little easier to handle.
As well, when you first arrive, you should ensure that the entire cottage is weather-proofed so it is capable of resisting any potential rain. If you find any cracks, you can apply a waterproof coating to prevent leaks from occurring.
Painting the exterior of your cottage with waterproof paint and adding a water sealant to any concrete walls will also help keep rainwater from seeping through and getting inside.
You should always have an emergency kit readily available in case of a power outage or severe weather incident. Indeed, having flashlights, batteries, satellite radios, etc., on hand could mean the difference between being stuck in the dark or not.
Check That Your Insurance Covers Everything
Whether you already own a seasonal home or cottage, or are looking to purchase one, it’s important to ensure that you have the right level of cottage insurance in Ontario to protect against fire, weather damage, theft, or vandalism.
In fact, having this insurance coverage in place should be one of your top priorities before you start using your cottage this summer. Since a cottage is considered a seasonal property, it requires specialized insurance coverage that is different from that of your primary residence.
As you go through your insurance policy, make sure it is well-suited to the unique features of your property and that it covers everything that could possibly happen to your cottage, such as flooding. This way, you are not stuck having to cover costly repair bills in the event of such a disaster.
Where to Get Cottage Insurance in Ontario
James Campbell Insurance has helped many Canadians find the right policy for their holiday cottages. Hopefully, this guide will help you prepare for the next cottage season. To get a quote for your cottage insurance in Ontario, call us today at 1-833-459-1065 or contact us here.