Fall Cleaning Checklist

 

Spring cleaning, as we all know, refers to that time of the year (obviously, spring season) when a house or a room undergoes thorough cleaning. Apparently, the first warm days of the year, which typically falls on springtime, is the perfect time to clean a house from top to bottom. It’s something that most countries where winters are known to be very cold (and tend to last longer) religiously do each year.

However, just because a house is subjected to a scrupulous cleaning job during spring doesn’t mean the same shouldn’t be done at another time. In fact, there is a variation to spring cleaning that aims to prepare homes for the onslaught of harsh winter months known as “fall cleaning”. Fall may also be the best time to contact a known London interior designer to have your home checked and redesigned…if this is something out of the budget then, stick with cleaning up for this year.

Being that weather conditions are bound to reach extreme heights during winter, it’s best to keep everything in check while there’s still time. Getting your fall cleaning under way would put your mind at ease come winter.

If you have never tried fall cleaning, then you came to the right place. I have here somewhat like a checklist to help you through as you take on the task. The first half of the list would cover the things you need to accomplish outside the house, ideally since it’s what takes the most beating when the first snowflakes fall.

Keeping Order Outside:

1. Clean stuff you hauled out for some fun summer shindigs. This includes patio furniture, pool loungers (in case you have a pool), food/barbecue grill, toys, and other outdoor items. Afterwards, store these items and keep them tucked safely until next spring.

2. Too much sun can wreak havoc on your house’s exterior paint job. Hence, while there’s still time, touch up paint on trim, railings, decks, and wherever else paint touch-up is needed.

3. Check the gutters and downspouts. Make sure these are unclogged. If debris-laden, clean thoroughly since you won’t have time to do so once it gets too cold to do any sane thing outside. Do the same to your chimney (in case you have one).

4. In case you have garden hoses lying around, make sure to inspect and drain these first before storing away for the winter. Ensure you cover the spigots with insulating covers.

5. If necessary, power wash your exterior windows.

6. Inspect windows, external doors, and garage doors. Check to see if you need to re-caulk or re-seal these to make sure these are watertight and airtight.

7. Check and replace weather-stripping, when necessary, to ensure that windows and doors close tightly to keep cold air out.

The Inside Story:

1. Do lots and lots of vacuuming – vacuum the condenser coils on your refrigerator, drapes, baseboards, corners, upholstered furniture, windowsills, window treatments, and even ceiling corners. Move your bed, couch, and other large pieces of furniture and make sure to vacuum behind and underneath these pieces.

2. Flip each and every mattress in the house. Do this end-to-end and front to back.

3. Since you will be spending most of your time indoors once the colder months come, make sure the air you breathe inside the house is clean; thus, clean dryer vent and exhaust areas. This is also the best time to replace the filter of your furnace. In fact, you should buy plenty of filters enough to last you through the winter months.

4. The incoming holiday season means you and your family are bound to get new clothes, loads of them even. Now’s the best time to make room for newer items, so sort through your closets and rid these of clothes you’re no longer using or items your kids may have already outgrown. Out with the old, in with the new.

5. Clean out your kitchen cupboards and cabinets and get these organized.

There you have it; a checklist of things you should include in your fall cleaning itinerary.