As summer fades into autumn, a refreshing change occurs not just in nature but also in our homes. Fall cleaning is a seasonal deep-cleaning ritual that prepares your living space for the colder months ahead.
This time of year is crucial not only for maintaining cleanliness but also for creating a cozy and healthy environment as you spend more time indoors. A thorough fall cleaning can help prevent the buildup of dust, allergens, and clutter, making your home a happier and healthier retreat. In this post, we share our room-by-room Fall Cleaning checklist and tips for success.
What do you clean in Fall Cleaning?
Fall cleaning goes beyond surface cleaning. It encompasses several tasks designed to refresh your home, including:
- Dusting and vacuuming
- Decluttering and Organizing Clutter
- Seasonal wardrobe changes
- Routine maintenance of appliances
- Checking on and preparing outdoor spaces
- Cleaning gutters and windows
- Disinfecting high-touch surfaces
As you transition to the fall season, you need to clean and prepare each room and area of your home for it. Here is a cleaning checklist to help you clean each room.
Simple Room-by-Room Fall Cleaning Checklists
Feel free to customize the fall cleaning checklist to suit your needs.
Living Room
- Dust all surfaces, including blinds, Shelves, baseboards, and furniture.
- Vacuum and mop the floors, paying special attention to under furniture and the corners.
- Clean upholstery: Remove removable covers and vacuum fabric.
- Organize media and books: Declutter any items that are cluttered.
- Dust and clean the entertainment areas and the electronic devices
- Clean windows, window sills, tracks, and wash curtains: Let in the bright light.
- Clean high-touch areas like walls, doors, and light switches
- If you decorate, switch the decor to add a fall accent.
Kitchen
- Empty the pantry, fridge, and freezer: Dispose of any expired food and wipe down the shelves, then organize them for easy access.
- Clean the interior and exterior of appliances, focusing on the refrigerator, freezer, oven, cooktop, small appliances, and microwave.
- Deep clean countertops: Clean, disinfect, and organize all kitchen surfaces, including the counters.
- Empty and clean the sink and garbage disposal: Clear any clogs, dispose of food waste, and clean and shine the sink.
- Clean the tops, inside, and outside of the cabinets, refrigerator, and range hood.
- Dust and clean the blinds and windows, if any.
- Organize kitchen tools: Sort utensils and pots by type.
- Wash kitchen rags and mats.
Entry way
- Swap shoes and jackets in readiness for fall.
- Dust and wipe down light fixtures, walls, and baseboards
- Wipe down light switches, handrails, and door knobs
- Sweep or vacuum floors
Bedroom
- Change bedding and linens: Wash everything, including pillows, blankets, and other linens.
- Dust surfaces: Crown molding, Ceiling fans, walls, and light fixtures.Nightstands and dressers.
- Wipe down wet wipe baseboards, doors, and trims.
- Vacuum mattress and/or mop floors, including under the bed.
- Rotate the mattress
- Declutter nightstands and dressers: Organize jewelry and personal items.
Closets
- Sort out your clothes: Switch out your summer clothes for warmer items and donate the ones you no longer need.
- Declutter and organize your linen storage tools, such as shelves and baskets.
Bathroom
- Scrub sinks, toilets, and tubs: Use a suitable bathroom cleaner.
- Clean mirrors: Remove streaks and fingerprints from the surfaces for a clear reflection.
- Organize toiletries: Dispose of expired products, check and replenish as needed.
- Wash bath mats and towels: Freshen up the space.
Laundry room
- Clean the washing machine and dryer
- Replenish and organize laundry supplies
- Clean and vacuum floors.
Home Office
- Organize paperwork: Sort files and declutter your desk.
- Dust electronic devices: Don’t forget keyboards and printers.
- Vacuum or mop floors: Keep your workspace clean and inviting.
- Review supplies: Replenish pens, paper, and other essential office supplies as needed.
- Wipe down surfaces: Clean all furniture and decorative items.
Outdoor Spaces
- Clean gutters: Remove leaves to prevent blockages.
- Sweep patio and walkways: Clear debris from the outdoor areas.
- Store summer furniture: Clean and protect summer outdoor items for storage.
- Prepare garden beds: Pull out weeds and plant perennials for spring.
- Clean garden tools before putting them away
- Rake leaves and prune leaves /shrubs
- Inspect outdoor lighting: Replace any broken bulbs.
- Power wash the exterior windows.
- Drain the outdoor faucet to prevent it from freezing.
Helpful Tips to make your fall cleaning a success.
Here are some helpful tips to make your fall cleaning easy and successful:
1. Make a Plan
Create a Checklist: Write down all the areas you want to tackle, like the kitchen, living room, bedrooms, and bathrooms.
Set a Timeline: Determine when you will begin and how much time you plan to allocate to each area.
2. Gather Supplies
Cleaning Products: Stock up on your favorite cleaning supplies and tools, including brooms, mops, and cloths.
Organizational Tools: Get bins, labels, and baskets to help organize items as you clean.
3. Declutter First
Sort Items: Go through your belongings and decide what to keep, sell, donate, or discard. A good rule of thumb is that if you haven’t used it in the last year, it might be time to let it go.
Be Ruthless: Don’t hesitate to part with things that no longer serve a purpose or bring you joy.
4. Deep Clean Each Room
Start High and Work your way Down: Dust ceiling fans, light fixtures, and shelves first, then move to surfaces and floors.
Focus on Often-Ignored Areas: Clean windows, baseboards, behind appliances, and inside cabinets.
5. Tackle Seasonal Items
Change Out Seasonal Decor: Store away summer items, such as beach gear, and put up fall decorations.
Check Clothing and Linens: Switch out summer clothes for fall/winter wear and ensure linens are fresh and cozy for the cooler months.
6. Air Out Your Space
Open Windows: If the weather permits, let fresh air circulate through your home.
Change Air Filters: Now is an ideal time to replace your HVAC air filters to enhance indoor air quality.
7. Organize for Efficiency
Group Similar Items Together: Keep cleaning supplies in one caddy, seasonal decor in another bin
Label Storage Bins: This helps you locate items easily in the future.
8. Involve the Family
Make it a Team Effort: Assign tasks to each family member to make cleaning quicker and more fun.
Play Some Music: Create a playlist to keep everyone motivated and upbeat!
9. Reward Yourself
Plan a Treat: After a successful cleaning spree, treat yourself to something special, like a favorite meal or a cozy movie night!
10. Maintain Your Clean Space
Schedule Regular Cleanings: Set aside time each week or month to keep things tidy, so your big fall cleaning doesn’t become a monumental task again.
Fall cleaning is a rewarding task that refreshes your home for the upcoming colder months. It’s a chance to eliminate clutter, ensure cleanliness, and create a cozy atmosphere just in time for the autumn festivities. So gather your cleaning supplies, roll up your sleeves, and get ready to embrace the spirit of fall cleaning!
You may also be interested in: Deep Cleaning vs. Regular Cleaning. What is the difference
