So let’s take a poll here… how many of you put away your Halloween decorations this weekend and started pulling out Christmas? Are you still all Fall decorated? While the sight of those sparkly Christmas decorations in the stores has me all twitterpated and ready to deck the halls, I’m resisting the urge to pull out the tinsel just yet. Well, at least some of it. 🙂 But along with packing away the Halloween decorations, I realized this house was in need of some major fall clean up!

I’m going to share 10 quick and dirty Fall clean up tips to help get you and your home ready for the upcoming winter season. Oh and I’ll be sharing some pics of our fall decor that I’m managing to hang onto for at least a few more weeks.

1. Batten down the hatches! Check for gaps in the seals around windows and doors. Close it up with caulk or new weatherstripping.
2. Go ahead…put your mind in the gutter. Time to clean out all the leaves and debris that have collected in the gutters over the season. Clogged gutters can cause leaks and a damaged exterior.  Maybe even consider installing a mesh cover over your gutters to prevent debris from piling up.
3. Turn the clocks and the fans back. Reverse your ceiling fans to turn clockwise so that warmer air will be pushed back down into the room and cooler air will be pulled up. Saves energy!!
   

   Stenciled monogram on the mailbox, ’cause the mailbox needed cleaning up too! 🙂

4. Up on the rooftop – Check for damage to the rooftop, vents, or shingles.
5. Take the chill off. Drain and disconnect ponds, bird baths, and water hoses to prevent freezing.
6. Cut it out. Time to cut the grass one last time and store the mower away for winter.
7. Dirty furnace? Clean it up. And be sure to change out those dirty filters too for some fresh air.
   

   See how I made this Thanksgiving wreath here!

8. Leaf Pile!!! Rake or mow the leaves as needed. And be sure to take a break and enjoy this just a little bit.
9. Steam it out. When the heat comes on, it’s time to bring out the humidifiers. Be sure to clean any deposits and hard water stains before setting them out.
10. Keep them safe. Check and/or replace batteries in the smoke detectors and CO monitors. Be sure to have an emergency kit ready for the winter both in the house and the car. Don’t forget to check the batteries in your flashlights.

That’s my short list of Fall clean up chores and believe it or not, we got ohhhh, about a third of these done this weekend. But the leaf pile sure was a lot of fun!!!

What other tips or chores do you have on your Fall checklist? Share them here, as I’m sure there are several I’m forgetting to do!! 🙂

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