The temperatures are cooling and the leaves are turning — it’s #fall. Before you head indoors for the chilly weather, however, consider making a fall #deep-cleaning checklist. Start outside, says The Spruce: Clean and store any outdoor furniture; service and store gardening equipment and tools; #clean gutters and downspouts; drain pools and water features; swap out screens for storm widows; and wash windows. To be absolutely certain you’re ready for winter, ask a professional inspector to check your roof, foundation and weatherproofing. And to ensure optimal comfort, schedule a maintenance checkup for your HVAC system. #FallCleaning
Tag: fall cleaning
Eliminate Unused Clothing as Cool Weather Sets in
No matter where you live in the U.S., chances are you’ll be swapping shorts and T-shirts for flannels, sweaters and jackets this month. That makes fall the best time to sort through your old clothing and eliminate anything that you haven’t worn for the last few seasons to streamline your closets and drawers. Turn the ones that can’t be repurposed into rages and contact ClothingDonations.org to make a donation. We’ll send a truck out to your location on the day you designate for a free, contactless #donation pickup — and get those extra items out of your way for good. #CoolWeatherProjects
Start Cold-Weather Household Projects Now
People spend aobut 40% more time inside their homes during the winter months, so it’s worth the effort to pursue household improvement projects that will make the environment cleaner, cozier and more energy-efficient as the weather gets cooler. For example, you can concentrate on big projects such as insulating the roof, weatherstripping and furnace upkeep ahead of the worst winter weather, Homelight says, and paint interior and exterior walls while the temperatures are still compfortable enough to open windows for ventilation and/or dry quickly enough to provide protection. #FallProjects
Fall Is a Great Time to Start DIY Renovations
As the weather turns cooler, you may be loking for projects that can make your home more cozy. One that Family Handyman suggests is to finsh your attic. This formerly unused space could easily be turned into a cozy nook or extra bedroom — and the natural tendency for heat to rise will make the most of your energy dollars. Smaller improvement projects to pursue might include painting, installing a new backsplash, cleaning a closet, reorganizing your kitchen cabinets and prepping your mudroom or entryway for the sloppy winter season, the story says. #FallProjects
Fall Cleaning: Just as Important as Spring Cleaning
Spring cleaning always gets the spotlight. Why? Because people feel like they need to make a fresh start after a long and grueling winter. But fall cleaning is just as important; after all, you’ll be indoors for three months or more, why not spend it a clean place?
The first and most obvious thing to do is get your furnace inspected if you own your own home, and change the filter even if you don’t. You’ll want to enjoy consistent heat throughout the winter, as well as clean air coming out of the vents.
Then, you’ll want to initiate a thorough cleaning. The first step — as always — is to purge some of the things you don’t need. The holidays are coming, and you can make space for new stuff — or all of the guests you’ll be hosting at your Thanksgiving, Christmas and Super Bowl parties.
Town & Country magazine has a list of 50 things that you probably don’t need to keep: condiment packets, outdated reference books, canvas totes, unworn costume jewelry, extra mugs, leftover paint and old phones. They’re just taking up space.
Bag up any lightly used clothing and household goods that might be of use to someone else and contact ClothingDonations.org for a contactless #donation pickup. A truck will visit your house on the appointed day to take that #junk away for good.
Then, start a targeted, room-by-room dusting and cleaning. Take as many hours or days as you need, but concentrate your efforts to make sure everything gets organized, dusted, wiped, mopped and sanitized.
Dust, pollen and insects such as moths probably blew into your home over the summer. Don’t let pests set up shop and overwinter in your basement or rafters. “See who’s hiding where and giving them a squish or kick to the curb before they start snacking on you or your clothes,” Apartment Therapy says.
Think of fall cleaning as a fresh start on a new season — one in which you’llbe spending a lot of time indoors. Don’t you want to live in a clean, sparkling and healthy home? Get started while you can still can!