Get Your Home Ready for Fall

Have you noticed the morning chill in the air?  In Florida, that slight change in temperature is much anticipated and appreciated in my household.  As the long, hot summer comes to a close, we relish the arrival of autumn (the best time of year to live in Florida). 

Here, the fall season means the days are still sunny and warm, but we catch a break from the humidity of our subtropical climate and on the best days, a steady, gentle breeze keeps you cool enough to spend the whole day outdoors.  Finally!  This is the time of year we can brag about living in Florida.  But our subtle change in season never lasts long enough for me, and the holidays always creep up too quickly. 

 As the seasons change, it’s time for us to shift gears and prepare our homes and our households for the cool months ahead (and the holiday season lurking just around the corner).  Here’s a to-do list to help you get your home ready the fall season:

Fall Home Maintenance and Organization Tips

• Sort through the family’s warm weather clothing.  Throw out or repurpose worn or torn items.  Donate any outgrown clothing.  Didn’t wear it at all this season?  Pass it on.  Move the keepers to out-of-season storage or to the back of the closet.  Beat the end-of-the-year rush and donate now to the charity of your choice; don’t forget to tuck the receipt in your tax file.

• Retire the summer recreation gear: beach chairs, pool floats, beach towels and sand toys, outdoor dinnerware and sports equipment.  Clean it up, pack it away and make a list of what you need to pick up or replace for next season.

• Clean and check the indoor elements of the heating system.  For forced air heating systems, vacuum the registers and air intake grill; for electric heating systems, vacuum down the baseboard units.

• Change all the household filters, including water filters and the filter in your AC/heating units.

• Pull out the refrigerator.  Vacuum the condenser coils, wipe down the top sides and back of the unit and clean the floor and wall behind it.

• Change the batteries in the smoke detector.  Test to insure they are operating properly.

• Clean out the garage.  Enlist the family to help give the garage a good scrub down.  Wash the floor, wipe down the walls and clear out the cobwebs.

• Clear out clutter and have a garage sale.  If you have enough items to make it worth your while, pick a Saturday in late October or early November to hold a yard sale.  Ask your neighbors if they’d like to join in.  Buy an ad in the local newspaper and get ready for the bargain hunters.  Your sale won’t yield big bucks, but you may earn enough to buy a few new accessories to spruce up your home for the fall and winter months.  Visit the Yard Sale Queen for tips and tricks on setting up a successful garage sale.

• Clean out the pantry.  Throw out any old or unused food items.  Wipe off shelves and make room for those items we like to stock for holiday baking and drop-in guests.

• Ready the windows.  Wash the windows inside and out and get ready to enjoy the fall breezes.  Send the drapes to the dry cleaner.  Consider adding a heavier or more colorful window treatment to cozy your home for the fall and winter seasons.

• Shine the chandeliers.  Clean all the ceiling mounted light fixtures throughout your home and get your home ready for guests.

• Call the carpet cleaner.  Schedule to have your carpets and any upholstered furniture dry cleaned.  Beat the last minute rush to get ready for the holidays.

• Clean your plants.  Take your indoor plants outside for a good cleaning before the temperatures dip.  Polish the leaves and get them looking their best for the season.  No live plants indoors?  Silk plants get dusty too, so take them outside, spray them off with the hose and let them dry in the sun.

• Prepare your bed for a new season. Vacuum and turn your mattresses.  Up north, get out those flannel sheets and snuggly throws.  Down south, get out the comforter and put on the cool weather duvet cover.

• Prepare your holiday table settings.  Get ready now for those holiday dinners and parties.  Pull out the good china and hand wash all your dishes. Polish the silverware, serving utensils, trays and candlesticks.   When you’re busy making last-minute preparations, you’ll be glad to have this task already out of the way.

• Get out the cool weather clothes, leather loafers and boots.  Even if you don’t live in a cold weather state, blazers, cotton cardigans and hoodies are great for layering over cotton T’s when the evenings get cool.

• Start your decorating engines.  If you intend to purchase any new furnishings, get out and get going!  Expect delivery on some furniture items to take up to twelve weeks.  Hire any home improvement or decorating professionals now; the closer it gets to the holidays, the busier contractors, painters, wallpaper hangers, upholstery shops and decorators become. 

Now that I’ve laid out your fall home maintenance and organization list, enlist the troops.  Divide and conquer.  Get the whole family involved and tackle the list together.  Prioritize the items that are most needed this season.  If you don’t get to them all, don’t sweat it…there’s always spring!  Just be sure to make time to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather and the change of season. 

For an outdoor fall maintenance/preparation list, see Prepare Your Home for Fall.

Check back for more tips on planning, organizing and decorating for the holiday season…

[tag] Fall Home Maintenance Tips, Fall Home Organization Tips, Organizing Tips,  Autumn To Do List [/tag]

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