6 Home Tasks You Should Tackle Every Fall

As summer starts winding down, we’re all thinking about getting back to work and school. And if you spent the summer on trips or with family—you probably didn’t have much time to keep your home in tip-top shape. Fortunately, there’s plenty of time in the upcoming season to get everything done. Here are six home tasks to tackle every fall.

Deep Clean Every Room

If you were away a lot this summer, you probably neglected to clean your house as thoroughly as you would like. So, when you have a free morning or afternoon—get to it. Vacuum every rug (and then wash the washable ones), mop the floors and use a strip mop or microfiber cloth to clean moldings. Don’t forget to disinfect your bathtubs and showers. Wipe down both the inside and outside of your windows. If you have slip-covered furniture, wash or dry clean your slipcovers.

If all of this sounds overwhelming, deep clean a different room every day—you’ll be done in a week. 

Clean Your Appliances

When was the last time you ran the self-clean mode on your oven? If you can’t remember, it’s time to do it. But don’t stop there. Cleaning your washing machine and dishwasher are also essential. If your appliance doesn’t have a self-cleaning mode, using a product such as Affresh will get the job done. 

Vacuum the Lint Trap

Even if you clean your dryer’s lint trap every time you use it—it’s very likely there is still some lint trapped in your dryer. This not only causes the machine to run less efficiently (and drives up your electric bill) but can also be a fire hazard. 

If your vacuum cleaner doesn’t have an attachment that fits in the vent, kits can be purchased fairly inexpensively. There are also professional services that can come to your house to deep-clean your dryer. 

Replace Any Filters

When was the last time you swapped out your HVAC filter for a new one? If you’ve been running your air conditioner on high all summer, you probably need to replace yours. An old filter not only causes the system to run less efficiently, but it can also shorten its life. Fortunately, this is an easy fix. Don’t forget to dust off the vents as well.

You should also replace any other filters you use in your home such as the water filter in your refrigerator as well as in air purifiers.

Declutter and Organize Your Kitchen

First, check for expired foods, canned goods, condiments, and spices. Then make a list of anything that needs replacing. 

Don’t forget to evaluate your food containers. If any are cracked or have tops that don’t fit, your food won’t stay fresh. It may be time to invest in a new set.

Clean and Organize Your Garage

The colder days will be here before you know it. If you’ve been parking in your driveway or on the street, you may end up moving your car to the garage as soon as the first frost hits. 

Declutter boxes, junk, and garbage from the space. Go through those old paint cans you’ll never use. Then re-organize to maximize square footage.