Get your balcony ready for a Finnish winter

Start with cushions and anything that traps water

Bring cushions, throws and other moisture-sensitive textiles into dry indoor storage first. Then remove dead annual plants, empty saucers and decide which lightweight items should come indoors.

You can keep one useful chair and a clear walking route if the furniture suits outdoor winter conditions. The aim is a balcony you can still use, rather than a storage puzzle you solve again in April.

SATO's balcony guidance (Opens in a new tab) advises taking textiles into warm storage, protecting suitable furniture with airflow and preventing water collecting in pots. Glass around a balcony does not turn it into a dry, heated room.

Dry the textiles before packing them

Bring cushions indoors and check the seams, underside and removable covers for moisture. Air them until fully dry before storage. Deal with surface dirt before it spends the winter with the fabric.

Keep the textiles loose in a dry indoor place. Use a breathable bag for suitable fabric items rather than sealing damp cushions into plastic. Leave the bag accessible enough to check after the first period of storage.

Our seasonal storage plan explains how to choose and label a storage place. Balcony textiles can have their own category so you do not have to empty the summer-clothes box to find one cushion.

Match the storage to the actual cushion

An IKEA SKUBB case measuring 90 × 53 × 19 cm (Opens in a new tab) is a real indoor storage option for flat textiles that fit without forcing the zip. Measure the cushion thickness and the storage space first.

For bulky cushions, a shelf or appropriately sized fabric bag may be more useful. The case above is not an outdoor weatherproof box. Its job here is organising dry textiles inside the home.

IKEA Vantaa in Porttipuisto (Opens in a new tab) is at Porttisuontie 18. Use the product page to select the store and check the exact case before travelling.

Deal with pots and lightweight furniture

Do not seal a wet furniture frame tightly inside a cover. Dry it and leave air movement around any protective cover. SATO's advice supports airy protection where the frame remains outside.

Remove dead annual plants from their pots. A living perennial has a separate winter-care task; this checklist covers the balcony arrangement and empty containers, not a universal treatment for every plant.

Keep every stored item inside the railing. Avoid turning the balcony into a store for heavy household equipment or flammable supplies. For a particular storage question, use your building's actual instructions instead of guessing from another property's arrangement.

Leave water a route out

Sweep loose leaves and debris from the floor and keep visible drainage openings clear. Work from the balcony itself, without reaching outside the railing or dismantling fittings.

If the opening is blocked beyond what you can remove from the surface, or water keeps pooling, tell building maintenance. Describe where the water gathers. A furniture cover or outdoor rug should not hide the problem.

Keep a clear route to the balcony door. Put any remaining small furniture where you can reach it safely. A useful chair is much more inviting than a tower of things waiting to be carried elsewhere.

Finish with one indoor-storage check

Check that textiles are fully dry, bags are labelled and the storage area is suitable. On the balcony, check for loose objects, containers that can refill with rain and leaves at the drainage point.

For indoor greenery, use the winter houseplant routine. It gives two familiar plants their own watering instructions rather than bringing the outdoor-pot checklist inside.

Now the first cold week arrives with fewer things left to rescue. The coffee on the balcony can remain optional.