Fall is my favorite time of year! I know it’s cliche with the pumpkin spice lattes and apple pies, but there’s something so inviting about fall. Living in the south, it begins to feel like summer will never end, you’re hot from May to October. But then there’s that one crisp morning that makes you shiver a little, there’s a smell in the air of clarity, and the crunch of leaves under your feet. We have waited for it so long that we cling to every last piece of enjoyment and indulge in the pumpkin spice, apple crisps, chai tea, and warm blankets. Little blessings that we usually deny ourselves throughout the rest of the year. Perhaps that is another element of it, that it is rare. If we had fresh apples off the trees and pumpkins on the porch year round, we might cease to be amazed by it. Fall is a short season, sandwiched between pool parties and hot cocoa. It is also a special time for our homemaking.
Spring brings spring cleaning, purging our closets of the old, cleaning all the nooks and crannies, and organizing toys that accumulated over the holidays. So what does fall bring? I think fall is a wonderful opportunity to make our homes cozy, and prepare for the winter months ahead. There are some housekeeping tasks that you do not want to have to do in the snow, and now is your chance to take care of them before it gets cold! So make yourself a warm beverage of your choice, and let’s get into the list of things you can do to prepare your home for the cooler months!
Ten Ideas For Fall Cleaning
- Weed garden beds
- Organize garage
- Clean out dryer vent
- Set up outdoor space
- Restock pantry
- Place blankets on furniture
- Create wardrobes for everyone
- Update all the bedding
- Declutter
- Decorate
- Weeding garden beds: I only have a couple of small beds throughout my yard, but by fall most things have run their course. My butterfly bushes have turned brown, the roses have stopped blooming, and its time to trim back the rosemary. Gardening is very new to me and I’m slowly learning from others how to care for a few things. I used to say that I’d love a garden, I’d just have to hire a gardener! Well it turns out that I am the gardener, so if I want nice flowers and herbs I need to learn how to care for them. When spring begins you will want a clean work surface so let’s get out there and begin weeding! Now is also the time of year to plant your bulbs! I have a few in my back yard and I can tell spring is just around the corner when the crocuses begin blooming.
- Organize Garage: If you’re anything like us, the lawn care and outdoor items get disorganized over the summer. Moving things around to make room for new outdoor toys, and not putting the gas cans back in their spot. Take some time to return everything to it’s proper place. If you don’t have a system for your garage yet…now is a good time to make one! This will ensure that when spring comes, you know where all your lawn care equipment is, and the toys are not lost in various corners!
- Cleaning out the dryer vent: Okay, maybe some of you are much better at keeping up with this than me, but I just had my dryer vent cleaned out, and it was atrocious! Lint built up in the vent is a serious fire hazard, and it will make it take longer to dry your clothes. Laundry takes up enough of my time without adding a slow dryer! My washer/dryer are on the second floor of my house, so we have to get an extension ladder to climb all the way up and clean it out, definitely something you want to take care of before there is any snow or ice!
- Set up outdoor space: One of our favorite activities in the colder months is to use our fire pit and just sit outside looking at the stars and drinking something warm. Maybe you need to get wood for a fire, or restock your s’mores ingredients. Make sure you evacuate any insects that have decided to live on your outdoor furniture, and make your space feel cozy and social.
- Restock your pantry: During the holidays I do so much baking, both for parties and just for fun! My husband will say that it is chilly outside and he’s craving a spice cake, and I love any excuse to get baking! Staples for holiday baking might include: flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, baking powder, oil, and oatmeal.
- Place blankets on furniture: Curling up under a blanket while I am reading a book and drinking tea is one of my favorite nap time activities. The house is quiet and the blanket soft. There are so many beautiful blankets out there. If you don’t yet have any, do some shopping, either at a local store, or online for some lovely handmade ones. If you really want to feel the coziness, learn how to knit or crochet one! It is so satisfying to rest under a blanket you made yourself, and best of all you can choose the color and material so it matches your personal style.
- Create wardrobes for everyone: Fall is a great in-between season to switch everyone’s wardrobe. By mid October we are done with t-shirts and shorts and need to make sure everyone has winter coats and jeans. My sons are close in age so this fall I just moved some things in the older one’s closet that he had outgrown straight into the younger one’s closet! Clothes that you won’t use again can be donated or consigned, and ones that may be used again can go in a box in either the closet or attic.
- Update all the bedding: Throughout the summer I have lighter blankets on all the beds, but in the winter I like to pull out the fluffy blankets and flannel sheets! Large pillows and shams are also great to have out if you plan to read or watch movies in bed.
- Declutter: Things tend to accumulate over the holidays, new toys, candles, coffee mugs, clothes…the list goes on. Take some time to declutter the things that are broken or that you or your kids don’t use anymore. It will help you avoid the after Christmas “where am I putting all this?” if you have already cleared out some space.
- Decorate: Now that your space is decluttered, cleaner, and more organized, take some time to decorate it! There are so many beautiful ways to decorate for fall: pumpkins, woven baskets, flannel blankets, fall scented candles. Go shopping (the dollar store has some great options if you’re willing to use your imagination), and choose the items that speak to you of fall and coziness.
There you go, ten fall cleaning tasks to help you get your home ready for the upcoming season! Take it slow, you have a couple months to get through it, depending on where you live. You can take one task each day and breeze through, or do one a week and it will feel effortless! Fall is really an amazing and special time of the year. Let’s make sure we take some time to savor the season.