Important Cottage Checklists
Packing for the cabin, opening up in the spring, closing for the winter, organizing food, renting, buying, selling – you name it – at the cabin there’s a things-to-do checklist for just about every activity.
Top Cottage Checklists
Here are the cabin checklists you need as cottage owners, renters and guests to make sure the cottage weekend or summer holiday starts and finishes smoothly.
Cottage Packing And Road Trip Checklist
How many of us have been forced to turn back, make an unnecessary purchase or abandon the cabin trip altogether because we forgot something?
Preparing to go to the cottage requires serious planning. Having a checklist of the gear, food and family members you want to take with you makes it less likely you will forget key items or pets in the rush to beat the traffic. At the same time, you also want to make sure the house in the city is being looked after, even if you are only going away for a few days.
Cottage guests and renters should plan for weather, bugs, boating activities, the BBQ and emergencies. This means packing the required clothing, getting permits, planning meals, organizing the drive and double checking the directions as well as the expected road and lake conditions.
Despite having made the trip to the cabin dozens of times, owners often forget keys, tools, supplies and maintenance items when scrambling to get out of the city. A quick check of the cottage weekend list can save time and money.
Our Driving To The Cottage page has some great tips for preparing to go to the cabin as well as advice for arriving at the lake in a safe and cost effective way.
Opening the Cottage
Reviewing the faded, smeared and wrinkled yet treasured opening-weekend checklist of things to do is a key part of every cabin owner’s spring pilgrimage to start the cottage season. Remembering how to start the water system is one part of the opening ritual, but before you even leave the city it is wise to update all the insurance documents and the required licences. And don’t forget to contact the utility companies to make sure the services are available when you arrive at the cottage.
Our Cottage Opening Checklist page can help new cabin owners, renters, or even seasoned pros who are looking for some new advice on getting the cottage opened quickly and efficiently.
Cottage Meal Planning
Planning a menu for the cottage can be a daunting task when you are trying to organize everything at home before you drive to the cabin. Whether you are a long-time owner or a newbie cottage renter the best meal idea for a cottage breakfast, lunch or supper is often the simplest one. Garbage is a key concern when planning the cottage meals, as is maximizing your cooler space.
Our Cottage Food Tips page has useful advice for reducing waste and feeding the gang in a healthy and efficient way.
Cottage Closing
Preparing the cottage for the winter requires careful planning and precise closing checklist execution in order to ensure the cabin and the equipment make it through the long winter with as little damage as possible. Ice, snow, rain, wind and critters can all take their toll on the cottage if the proper precautions are not taken. At the end of the cottage season we just want to get the cabin closed up as quickly as possible, but it is important to do things right.
Our Cabin Closing Checklist will walk you through the main steps for avoiding trouble during the winter months. The last thing you want to do is realize that you forgot to shut the power off when you are already half-way home.
Boating Equipment Maintenance
Boats, engines and trailers are all key parts of the cottage experience. Following the recommended maintenance, winterizing and spring-check-up steps will keep them running well and operating longer.
Properly preparing the boat and boat motor for winter storage takes some time but is well worth the effort. Once the spring arrives you want to get out on the lake safely and without mechanical problems. Simple things that are easy to forget when you are in a rush can make a huge difference. Batteries and drain plugs are good examples.
The Boat Maintenance Checklist has advice for cleaning stains, checking for damage, preparing for winter storage and getting the boat ready to go in the spring.
The Boat Motor Maintenance Checklist takes you through some simple troubleshooting tips as well as the proper steps for winterizing the boat motor.
Our Boat Trailer Checklist outlines some key points for this important yet often ignored cottage maintenance task. The boat trailer carries the most expensive piece of cabin equipment and requires a full inspection every spring and fall.
Renting A Cottage
To be sure you get the right cottage rental for your vacation, a lot of things have to be considered when choosing the best cabin for your summer holiday.
Our Cottage Renter’s Checklist has helpful tips on how to decide where and when to rent a cabin. It also gives a comprehensive list of things to ask the owners when you are making a final decision on a cabin rental.
Renting Out The Cottage
Whether you rent out the cottage for a few weeks or the entire season it is important to follow the proper steps if you want to make sure you get the right people at the right price. Bad renters, advertising costs, and unreasonable agent fees may drive the expenses so high that you can actually lose money.
Our Guide to Renting Out The Cottage will help you decide if renting the cabin out is the right choice. There are also tips on how to go about renting out the cottage if you want to get some income from your house at the lake.
Buying A Cottage
There are many steps involved in buying a cottage. Taking the time to do it properly will help make sure you get the perfect place you have always dreamed of. Buying a cottage requires some serious research. The risks can be very different from those encountered when buying a house in the city, and all the maintenance costs must be considered when setting out the financial plan for the property.
Our Cottage Buying Checklist will help you successfully navigate the cabin purchase process.
Selling A Cottage
Deciding to sell the family cottage is a difficult decision so you want to make the process as painless and profitable as possible. Selling the cabin, either privately or through a broker, requires some careful preparation to ensure you get the best deal for your lakefront property.
Our checklist for Selling The Cottage will help get you started.
