Weatherizing your outdoor space can be time-consuming, but so worth it. Spending half an hour this weekend doing a few easy tasks creates quite a few benefits, such as:

• It saves you money by adding years to the life of your outdoor furniture.
• It saves you time by adding years between re-staining, re-painting or purchasing new accessories like cushions or pillows for your patio furniture.
• It helps you avoid the headaches that can come mid-winter (frozen pipes, anyone?).

Here are ways you can weatherize your outdoor space:

• Protect patio furniture and cushions – Protecting your patio furniture depends on what type you have. If it’s wood, you’ll want to coat it with water repellent paint. If it’s metal, you’ll want to wax Regardless of the frame, you probably have cushions. To protect those, you’ll want to get cushion covers. Get a cover that fits the needs and size of your patio furniture, whether it’s a long loveseat, a table with chairs or a fire pit.

• Slip-on outdoor spigot covers – These help to reduce the likelihood that you’ll have frozen pipes and blocks any wind or cold drafts that may have been entering your home through the piping.
• Clean your gutters – You should clean your gutters a few times a year, and definitely before winter. Clearing out the leaves, twigs, acorns and other debris before the snow comes will ensure that the snow can melt and flow through your gutters. This also helps to keep heavy — and potentially roof-damaging — ice and icicles from forming.

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• Caulk around your exterior – Do this around your home and any structures, like pool houses or gazebos. Caulk around the sides of the windows and doors to keep out the moisture from rain, snow and everything between. This is something most people can do themselves and you probably already have a caulking gun in your basement. Find it, and take a quick trip to a Lowe’s or Home Depot to pick up high-quality caulk. For a quick tutorial on how to caulk, check this out.

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For cushion covers and other outdoor furniture, check out fifthroom.com, where there are many ideas for how to get the most out of your outdoor space, from patio furniture to pergola and sunroom kits, all year long.