It’s time to cover and store outdoor furniture and grills. Get your home ready for more time spent indoors with the checklist below.
1. 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.
2. Vacuum Radiators, Baseboard Heaters, and 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.
3. Tidy Up Your Mudroom
-
- The flurry of activity this time of year can leave the mudroom looking a little worse for the wear. Take some time to regain sanity: sort through papers 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.
4. Rake Leaves
-
- 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.
5. Cover or Store Outdoor Furniture and 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.
6. Clean Carpeting and Area Rugs
-
- Have area rugs and carpeting professionally cleaned if needed, or spot-clean on your own. Rotate area rugs before putting them back in place. This will help prevent one side from becoming more worn or faded than the other.
7. Maintain Your Wood Stove or Fireplace
-
- If you have a fireplace or wood stove, it is a safety essential that you have it serviced before lighting the first fire of the season. If you haven’t done so already, schedule an appointment to have your chimney inspected and, if necessary, cleaned.
8. 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).
I hope you find this checklist helpful! Until next month!
Resources: Houzz.com
