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A Comprehensive Guide to Home Maintenance in The Fall

Last Updated on May 17, 2023 by Lori

Ah, Fall…visions of apple picking, hayrides, pumpkin carnivals…and the reality of a whole heck of a lot of home maintenance projects!  Don’t get surprised this winter because you missed something – read this comprehensive fall home maintenance checklist and be prepared!

“Winter is coming.” So say the Starks of Winterfell (for all of you Game of Thrones fans), and they are not wrong.

Fall is the season in which we clean up, close up, pack up, and store all of our summer outdoor playthings. We prepare for the cold days and nights ahead when we spend the majority of our time indoors.

Ahem, well, maybe not as much for those of us who live in warm climates. 

It really wasn’t so long ago that I lived in a part of the country that had real winters, so I know how important it is to complete home maintenance tasks in the fall. Even though I don’t have to do a lot of these projects, I’m well aware that most of us have to do at least some, if not all!

gorgeous red maple tree in front of large home, fall home maintenance projects

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Fall Home Maintenance Projects to Prep Your Home for Winter

And I’ve got quite the list for you! 

Before you scroll down and see just how many items are on this list, let me be clear in saying that not ALL of them will apply to everyone! 

Pick and choose the ones you need and happily skip over all the others.

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I’ll also leave it to you to determine how you want to approach this giant list of projects. 

Are you the type to knock everything out in one weekend? 

Or do you prefer to space your projects out over the course of a few weeks or even a couple of months? 

We all have our unique ways of getting things done.

When there’s a lot to accomplish, it’s usually best to do it in a comfortable, familiar process.

Just know what projects are MUST-Dos and get to those first.

Of course, it goes without saying that some of these must be done when the weather is clear. Best to start with those outdoor projects and move indoors as things get colder and damper outside.

Fall Home Maintenance Projects: Your Home’s Exterior

  • Clean gutters and downspouts
  • Inspect your roof, foundation, and siding and make any needed repairs
  • Inspect your windows, doors, and their frames and make any needed repairs
  • Check that any exposed pipes (such as in your crawl space) are well insulated
  • Locate the water shut-off valve for your home and know how to turn it off
  • Pressure wash the house exterior

“Autumn is the season to find contentment at home by paying attention to what we already have.”

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Fall Home Maintenance Projects: Your Property

  • Trim and prune trees and shrubs
  • Rake leaves
  • Clean, winterize and store your lawnmower, outdoor tools, and grill
  • Move cold-sensitive patio accessories inside
  • Move potted plants indoors if overwintering or empty them and clean and store the pots
  • Drain and turn off your sprinkler system
  • Inspect outdoor walkways – porch, steps, sidewalk, deck, patio – to eliminate walking or snow-shoveling hazards
  • Drain and store outdoor hoses
  • Turn off exterior faucets
  • Purchase and stack firewood

“Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go.”

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Fall Home Maintenance Projects: Your Home’s Interior

  • Wash your windows
  • Shampoo carpets
  • Wash area and throw rugs
  • Do a thorough decluttering and dispose of the items appropriately
  • Clean and dust baseboards throughout the home
  • Clean your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry
  • Purchase winter food supplies that can be stocked in advance
  • Purchase household basics that can be stocked in advance
  • Wash and rehang curtains
  • Dust blinds and shades
  • Give your oven a thorough cleaning
  • Vacuum under and behind couches and beds and vacuum upholstered furniture
  • Wash bed pillows, comforters, and mattress pads
  • Switch lightweight bedspreads to warmer comforters and replace cotton sheets with flannel or jersey.
  • Collect your cold-weather supplies – shovels, ice scrapers, snow blower, emergency kits for car and home – in an easy-to-access location
  • Dust all ceiling fans, reverse their direction to blow warm air downward
  • Flip or rotate all mattresses
  • Replace summer screens with storm windows and doors
  • Check that your attic insulation is thick and even, but not blocking any vents in the eaves
  • Remove and store window air conditioner units
  • Vacuum radiators, baseboard heaters, and grates
  • Move paint and other freezable products from the garage into the house, or dispose of them appropriately
  • Deep clean the kitchen as it will be heavily used in the next few months

“Autumn is the season to find contentment at home by paying attention to what we already have.”

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Projects to Delegate to a Professional

  • Have the chimney professionally inspected and cleaned, and install a cap on top to prevent critters and birds from entering and getting trapped inside
  • Arrange in advance for someone to shovel snow from your walks and driveway
  • Have the furnace or boiler inspected and maintained, replace the filters
  • If your roof is aging, have it professionally inspected and make any needed repairs
  • Have your pool professionally closed down and covered

Leave Time For Some Fun and Relaxation

Despite the fact that there’s so much to do, don’t forget to take the time to enjoy the beautiful fall weather.

There are so many wonderful activities to engage in this time of year, so make sure you build some fall fun into your schedule!

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Final Thoughts on A Comprehensive Guide to Home Maintenance in The Fall

Yes, it is quite a list (I told ya!).

However, working your way through the projects that you need to accomplish, in your own time frame, ensures a far more comfortable, safer, and healthy winter.

It’s so worth it to plan ahead!

gorgeous red maple tree in front of large home, fall home maintenance projects

12 thoughts on “A Comprehensive Guide to Home Maintenance in The Fall”

  1. I LOVE fall! I hate winter though. So for me, fall is like Sunday’s, poisoned by Monday, fall poisoned by winter coming. LOL But you’re so right, it’s time to start working on closing up shop. I live in Colorado so we experience winter at its fullest extreme. Everything you’ve mentioned here we started working on because it takes us about a month to get it all done. But, in that sense we get to get out the fall, Halloween stuff, pull the Christmas boxes forward and wash the winter clothes. I love a clean, organized environment so that’s what happens in our household. Loved this post!

    1. Thank you so much, Nicole! I love fall too, and we really don’t get much here in SoCal. I also HATE winter – strong words, and we mean them, right?!? i just can’t stand the feeling of being cold! I can imagine in Colorado it takes a while to get all the maintenance done each year but it sounds like your trade off is worth it!! Glad you stopped by the blog!

  2. I love how thorough this list is. From putting away the grill to removing the air conditioner from the window. Love it, thanks for the article. Will be pinning this one!

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