Ugh, it’s time to think about Fall House Cleaning Projects! Didn’t we all just do our Spring Cleaning? It sure seems that way, and yet, here we are again.
Of course, we didn’t just skip out on our responsibilities around the home all summer long…or did we? Hah! I’ll never tell!
But it is indeed time to turn our attention to the state of our homes because soon enough we will be closing them down for winter.
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House Cleaning in Fall
It does seem like I just cleaned the darned house.
Why do I have to do another big cleaning now that it’s fall? I just want to drink apple cider and jump in leaf piles and have pumpkin spice everything.
Ok, ok, ok, I guess that’s enough behaving like a petulant child for one post! (True fact: I don’t really like pumpkin spice anything. Not even pie. You can have my Starbucks latte if you want it.)
In actuality, there really is good reasoning behind a thorough fall house cleaning, and it has to do with the season coming up after fall!
Cleaning Up Before Closing Up
As the reality of cooler/cold weather (depending on where you live) sets in, we know we will be spending more and more time indoors with the heat on, and doors and windows closed up.
Yes, even here in sunny Southern California, we do have a period of time where the heat stays on all day and night!
Of course it’s a much shorter time than most anywhere else, but yes, there is a period of breathing all indoor air, as I gaze longingly at my patio…
Cold weather is indeed on its way. It only makes sense to give your home one last scrubbing and airing out before you seal yourself and your family indoors for however many months before spring comes along.
Fall House Cleaning Means Setting Your Priorities
Although every home would benefit from a deep cleaning top to bottom, not everyone has time to give the house that much attention. We all lead busy lives!
Maybe you really need to set your primary focus on Home Maintenance Projects instead.
Maybe you just wanna jump in that leaf pile over and over.
“We dream of having a clean house, but who actually dreams of doing the cleaning?”
Marcus Buckingham
If you can’t get to everything in your home this season, here are my four top areas to focus on cleaning:
Windows
Floors
Fabrics
Kitchen
Fall House Cleaning: Windows
Days are getting shorter, clouds are getting heavier and greyer, and your home’s interior is going to seem darker than it’s been in months.
Clean your windows, inside and out, in order to let every last ray of sun possible shine into your house.
This is one of my very least favorite cleaning chores, but one that makes a huge difference.
It’s surprising just how much light a dirty, dusty windowpane can block.
Fall House Cleaning: Floors
Snow, slush, salt, grime.
Your family will be tracking these things into your house in no time.
The best way to keep floors as clean as possible in winter is to adopt a no-shoes-indoors policy and keep a bench and shoe storage near every exit to your home.
I have never had such a policy, and I know my floors get dirtier than my friends who are strictly shoes-off. (You’d think I’d learn, right?)
It is key, though, to get your floors as clean as possible while the weather is still relatively decent because open windows go a long way to dry them off quickly once you’ve cleaned them.
And it’s nice to at least have clean floors for a little while before the grime comes in.
Sweep and mop hard surface floors, vacuum carpets, wash rugs.
Shampoo your carpets, too, or hire a professional service to do it for you.
Fall House Cleaning: Fabrics
Your goal here is to eliminate dust, dander, and microscopic critters from your house before you seal it up. These are houseguests you do not want to make comfortable in your home.
Wash and iron curtains.
Dust blinds and shutters.
Wash bed linens, including spreads, duvets, blankets, and mattress pads.
Wash all bed pillows.
While you’re at it, flip or rotate your mattress and then vacuum it.
Wash pet blankets.
Plan on doing many extra loads of laundry for a while. You’ll be glad you gave the time after it’s all done.
Fall House Cleaning: Kitchen
Your kitchen needs a deep cleaning.
You’ve probably neglected it quite a bit (I know I have!) because of all the salads and fresh produce and grilled meals you’ve been eating.
But, we are coming back to the days when our ovens and stoves and Crockpots and Instapots and Air Fryers are all in heavy rotation. We will be cooking so much more often indoors now.
And that’s before the Holidays arrive toward the end of the year, with all of the food-related events and activities they bring.
Clean your oven, microwave, refrigerator, freezer, and all your frequently used small appliances.
Empty out your pantry and dispose of all expired foods.
Discard stale spices.
Inventory food and kitchenware to see what you may need to replace before the company arrives or you do any entertaining.
Take the time to plan ahead and stock up now. Don’t get surprised at the last minute!
The objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living within that environment.
Marie Kondo
Related Posts:
- Home Maintenance: The Complete Checklist for Fall
- My Favorite Fall Fragrance: Acorn Spice from Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day
- The Complete Guide to Wool Blanket Care
- Goodbye, Laundry Detergent! Why I Made the Switch to Earth Breeze
- Smart Ways to Simplify Housework
Final Thoughts on How to Simplify Fall House Cleaning
This list obviously doesn’t cover everything that needs to be cleaned in your home, but in terms of preparing for the cold season, these are your top four priority areas.
- Windows
- Floors
- Fabrics
- Kitchen
Take care of these four areas first, and you’ll be way ahead of the game.
How is your Fall cleaning coming along? Share your stories in the comments!
