10 Fall Cleaning Ideas

Today is the first day of Fall. Does anyone think this year went by in a whirlwind? Wow! I can’t believe it but before we know, it’ll be Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and then Winter which means Christmas. Let’s throw in a couple birthdays in that mix and a couple anniversaries and Bam, the year will come to New Years Eve and an end. We’ll be at 2017. Wow!

And this has been quite the interesting year for my family and me. But let’s not focus on that today. Instead, I’d like to offer up 10 Fall Cleaning Ideas to help make your transition into the Fall Season a little easier!

1. I hear winter is going to be tough this year, so you might want to Tighten/Secure the hatches! Make sure to look for gaps or seals in and around your doors and windows as well as just make sure you don’t have any gaps in your foundation, etc. If you do, use some caulk or weatherstripping to fix or else call a professional to come make sure your house is in tip top shape!

2. Clean that chimney. Your Chimney has sat vacant all summer… or so you think. If you don’t have a cap on the top, a bird could very easily have gotten in there to create a home. Or better yet, you might find that there is a crack in the fireplace or chimney. My parents had that unfortunate incident happen and we had to get it fixed before they were able to use their fireplace. Better to be safe than sorry!

3. For once put your mind to the gutter… as in Clean out the gutters. Make sure to clean all the leaves and gunk out of the gutters. If you’re feeling real ambitious you can put mesh covers over the gutters to prevent having to do this in the future.

4. Check for Damage to your rooftop. Remember, just around the corner Santa will be bringing in his sleigh and reindeer. Make sure he has a safe landing space. Also, you don’t want a minor problem on the roof to become a major problem!

5. Drain, unplug, remove water from ponds, bird baths, bird feeders, etc. And your water hose, especially if your water hose drains back into your house to keep the hydrant from freezing, because you’ll actually break pipes.

6. [In my Joey Gladstone’s best voice] Cut it out. Meaning, take that lawnmower for one last spin before placing it in the garage for the winter. Also take extra care of that lawnmower and winterize it! Hopefully by this point you’ll be done mowing the grass for the year.

7. Clean the furnace. Especially if this is your only source of heat for your house, but even if it is secondary. You want it to be up and running efficiently, especially with below frigid temperatures coming soon!

8. Steam Time. Check the humidifiers. With the drier air, make sure your humidifier is working properly. Your nose will thank you! Make sure to remove any hard water deposits from your humidifier.

9. Rake and destroy leaves. It’s time to start thinking about raking those leaves up. Make sure you let the family play in them and they’re a great opportunity for pictures, so don’t forget the camera!

10. Check batteries. Setting yourself a reminder to check batteries in smoke detectors and CO2 monitors twice a year is a good thing. One time to do it is Spring and Fall. Why not. Hey, if you want, check them 4 times per year. Better to be safe than sorry. Also check the batteries in your vehicles with the upcoming winter and flashlights. Flashlights are necessary if freak ice storms take out your power for a week… been there done that.

So what other tips am I missing?

*Pulled from my old blog Paved Dirt Roads