During colder months, and especially throughout the holidays, your kitchen will likely see much more traffic and activity as you prepare meals and host guests.

If your kitchen is in need of a little pre-holiday update, don't worry -- you have plenty of time to make changes. We've compiled a list of common updates to help you plan your to-do list and timeline.

1. Replace appliances. If your appliances are outdated, now's the time to replace them. According to a chart published by This Old House, here is the life expectancy of most major kitchen appliances:
Gas ranges (15 yrs)
Range hoods (14 yrs)
Refrigerators and electric ranges (13 yrs)
Garbage disposals (12 yrs)
Freezers (11 yrs)
Dishwashers (9 yrs)
Microwave ovens (9 yrs)
Compactors (6 yrs)

2. Clean. Cleaning isn't high on our list of favorite things to do, but a thorough deep cleaning will help keep your appliances in proper working order. Plus, who doesn't love spending time in a sparkling room? Wipe down your oven, stove and microwave. Unplug your fridge and clean the condenser coils. And while you're working with the fridge, remove old food and leftovers from the fridge and freezer so that you have plenty of space to store new leftovers, groceries and edible gifts.