Get your home October ready with this list of 10 to-dos.
1. Rake Leaves
-
- The leaves are already starting to fall! To make quicker work of collecting leaves from a large lawn, rake the fallen foliage onto a large plastic tarp. Then bag it or add it to your compost pile.
2. Decorate for Halloween
-
- If you’re planning to participate in Halloween festivities, whether you’re working on an elaborate lawn display or simple door decor, it helps to get an early start on shopping or crafting.
3. Keep Seasonal Decorating Low-Key with Natural Finds
-
- Pumpkins, gourds, fresh heirloom apples, quinces, pomegranates, figs and fall foliage make wonderfully simple decor. Bring in cut branches from your yard, stop by a pick-your-own farm, or scoop up fall’s bounty at a farm stand.
4. Neaten Up Your Mudroom/Entry
-
- The flurry of activity this time of year can leave your mudroom or entry looking a little worse for the wear. Sort through papers/mail and put away stray summer items. Clean the floors and invest in a new doormat if needed. Keep a recycling basket near the entrance to make sorting mail and school papers easier, and dedicate a tote or bin for items that need to go out.
5. Vacuum Radiators, Baseboard Heaters & Heating Grates
-
- Prepare for heating season by vacuuming up dust from radiators, baseboard heaters and heating grates. If you have radiators with covers, remove the covers and vacuum beneath them before replacing.
6. Cover/Put Away Outdoor Furniture & Grills
-
- If you plan to leave your patio furniture or grill outside through the fall and winter, cover them well and stow them beneath an overhang that will protect them from rain and snow. Even if you live in a mild climate, covering your grill between uses is a good idea to preserve the finish.
7. Shut Off Exterior Faucets & Store Hoses for Winter
-
- Disconnect, drain and roll hoses before storing them for the winter. Shut off the water supply to exterior faucets to prevent frozen pipes.
8. Clean Gutters & Downspouts
-
- Wait until most of the leaves have fallen to schedule a rain gutter cleaning. Inspect gutters and downspouts for cracks and loose parts, and make repairs as needed.
9. Check Safety Devices
-
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in the house, replacing batteries as needed. Check the expiration date on the kitchen fire extinguisher and replace it if needed.
10. Start a Gift List
-
- It may seem as though the holidays are a long way off, but that’s why it pays to start getting organized now. Start a list of everyone you plan to give gifts to this year, and as ideas strike, jot them down on your list. You can also use your list to keep track of a holiday gifting budget. And if you want to make any gifts by hand, October is a great time to get started — handmade gifts always seem to take longer to make than expected.
I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your September! Until next month!
Resources: Houzz.com
