There are various reasons why you should do a fall cleaning of your home. Now, the real question is — what are the best fall cleaning tips that will prepare your home for fall and make it shine?
That’s what I want to look at today. Each of these fall cleaning tips will have your home shining. Not only that, but they are also perfect for preparing your home for the colder months ahead.
The best part is that these fall cleaning tips will set you on your way to a fresh and clean home that feels calmer and clutter-free!
6 Fall Cleaning Tips To Prepare Your Home
As the temperature drops outside, we all spend much more time indoors. This means having a clean and cozy space at this time of year matters. These fall cleaning tips and tricks are all about focusing on the right things to clean.
So let’s get started!
The First Fall Cleaning Tip is to Start with a Fall Declutter
It’s nearly impossible to clean around clutter. This means no matter how many fall cleaning tips you read they are not going to help you create a home you love if you don’t get rid of the clutter.
So the number one fall cleaning tip is to start by doing a fall declutter of your home. You’ll be able to easily stay on top of your home and save time cleaning by taking some time to do a fall decluttering.
Remove the clutter first and your fall cleaning will be so much easier.
Using a Fall Decluttering Checklist is a great guide to help you along. In the meantime, try and focus on decluttering the following areas and you’ll have a good head start!
Declutter last season’s clothing.
With the change in seasons, you’ll want to make room for new fall and winter items. Now is the time to go through your clothes and get rid of anything you haven’t worn all year.
For any spring and summer items that are worn out, ripped, or stained get rid of them now. Then rotate your summer clothes out and your fall and winter clothes in!
Declutter the Kitchen
Next, do a quick declutter of the kitchen. The cooler weather has us cooking more often. This is especially true as the holidays approach.
I know I am always looking for ways to get in and out of the kitchen quickly. My time in the kitsch is so much easier when my kitchen is decluttered.
Start by tossing out all expired food, condiments, and spices. Now, let go of all those kitchen gadgets and utensils you either don’t use or have more duplicates of than you need.
Declutter the Bathroom
It’s important to declutter the bathroom as part of your fall cleaning as you want it ready for extra quests. Let go of all expired medications, sunscreens, cosmetics, and other expired personal care items.
Next, declutter as many items as possible off of your countertops to make the whole room feel cleaner and larger.
If you want to do a more thorough decluttering of your home you can find detailed fall decluttering tips here.
Fall Cleaning Tip #2 – Clean Your Fireplace and Chimney
The next fall cleaning tip is to make sure you pay attention to your fireplace and chimney. It’s been ignored for months and months and you might be surprised by what’s hanging out in there.
I say this from experience, I was quite surprised at the number of spider webs that had been sewn in the fireplace over the spring and summer months.
Also, make sure to give your fireplace surround a good cleaning and dusting. It will make it much easier to keep up with when you start using it daily.
It’s also a good idea to clean and inspect your chimney annually.
Now if you don’t have or use a fireplace for heating your home, use this time to replace HVAC Filters. Afterward, dust and wipe down all your heating vents.
In addition to making your home clean, it will also improve the air quality of your home.
Clean and Reverse Ceiling Fans
Another area to focus your fall cleaning is on those ceiling fans. If the ceiling fans in your home have been running all summer, it’s time to turn them off and give the fan blades a good dusting.
My favorite way to do this is with an old pillowcase. Simply slide it over the blades and all dust will fall into the pillowcase instead of on your floors or other surfaces.
Once your fans have been cleaned, find the small switch on the fan body that reverses the blades. This will help direct the warmer air down and keep your home feeling nice and cozy.
Replace batteries smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
The change of seasons is a good reminder to make sure to check these important devices to ensure they are properly working.
Once you’ve verified they are working, go ahead and replace the batteries.
Deep-Clean Inside the House
The fifth fall cleaning tip involves doing a deep cleaning of your home room by room.
Much like decluttering, fall cleaning is less overwhelming when you work room by room.
It really doesn’t matter which room you start in, just keep your focus on that room until it’s done.
Having said that, I do like to start with the bedroom. Your bedroom is the place you start and end your days. You want it to feel like a sanctuary or peaceful place to be.
If you’ve already followed the first fall cleaning tip and got a handle on the clutter, the cleaning should go pretty quickly.
Below is a fall cleaning checklist of items to clean in each room of your home. Just check off each item as you complete it.
Items to Clean In the Bedroom:
Wash all bedding and swap out summer bedding for any heavier winter bedding
Flip or rotate the mattress
Wash all curtains or blinds
Clean the Windows (Don’t forget the ceils) and mirrors
Clean all baseboards
Dust and wipe down all light fixtures
Dust the headboard and all furniture surfaces
Vacuum all floor surfaces
Vacuum under the bed
Items to Clean In the Kitchen:
Wipe down all shelves in the pantry
Clean the stove, oven, and vent hood
Deep clean the inside of the refrigerator and freezer
Wipe down the outside of the refrigerator (don’t forget to clean the top of the fridge)
Dust and clean behind the refrigerator and vacuum the coils
Clean all small appliances including the microwave, toaster, coffee pot, etc.
Wipe down all countertops
Clean the backsplash
Wash the walls
Clean and disinfect your trash can
Wipe down the inside and outside of cupboards (replace any contact paper if needed)
Clean the dishwasher
Freshen your garbage disposal and drains
Clean windows and blinds
Sweep and mop the floor
Items to Clean in the Bathroom
Treat any mold or mildew in the shower
Wash the shower curtain, bathmats, and towels
Clean the shower head (wrapping a bag filled with vinegar around the head makes this an easy job)
Scrub the grout
Disinfect the sink and toilet
Scrub the shower and tub
Dust the bathroom fan grille
Polish the windows, blinds, and mirrors
Clean all fixtures including switch plates and doorknobs
Wipe down all cabinet doors
Wash the floor
Items to Clean in the Dining Room:
Wipe down the table and chairs
Wash all curtains or blinds
Clean the windows and window ciels
Dust all sideboards or other furniture
Vacuum any rugs
Dust and clean all light fixtures
Sweep and mop the floor
Items to Clean In the Living Room:
Wash all curtains, throw pillow covers, and throw blankets
Vacuum all upholstered furniture, including under the cushions
Dust all furniture
Wipe down all decor items
Dust and clean framed art, wall hangings, and photos
Wipe down the TV
Clean the remotes and other electronic items
Clean all windows and mirrors
Wash the walls
Wipe down baseboards
Clean wood floors, or vacuum carpets and rugs
Clean and Store Outdoor Furniture
Let me be honest here, I live in Southern California and that allows us to enjoy our outdoor furniture year-round. In fact, the cooler months make it even more enjoyable.
At the same time, I know that for many of you cleaning and storing your outdoor furniture is a must. Before the weather turns to freezing give your outdoor furniture a good fall cleaning before storing it away or covering it for the season.
Doing this now will allow you to appreciate your outdoor spaces as soon as the weather warms back up.
I hope these six fall cleaning tips will help you enjoy a home you love all season long.
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